Battle Scars
by sofia313
Summary: The war is finally over, but the cost has been high. Robb Stark has lost his father, his sister and his wife. Now in order to guarantee the peace for his people, he is supposed to marry Minea Lannister, a member of the family he hates the most.
1. Prologue

**This story is partly AU, it doesn't follow the storyline of the show. There are some major changes, for example Jon didn't go to the wall, he went to war with Robb.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

King's Landing

Tywin Lannister, Hand of the King, was sitting at his desk, concentrated on the papers he needed to read and sign. He had his hands full and he had ordered not to be disturbed. Yet the door to his work room suddenly flew open. Not many people would have dared to defy his orders and he didn't need to look up in order to guess who had just marched in.

"Tell me it's not true," Tyrion's voice demanded.

"And what exactly are you referring to?" Tywin inquired dryly, keeping his eyes on his papers. He was already feeling slightly irritated, his younger son always had that effect on him.

"You know what. Minea. Tell me you're not really going to send her to the north."

"It has already been arranged," Tywin replied. "Her marriage with Robb Stark was one of terms of the peace treaty."

"Have you lost your mind, she's your daughter!"

Tywin looked at his son coldly.

"Watch your tongue."

Tyrion pressed his lips together, clearly trying to control himself.

"Father… I'm aware of how you feel about me, but Minea has never brought you any shame. She doesn't deserve this."

"She is a Lannister, we all must make sacrifices for our family."

"Sacrifices? Those people hate us, surely you must know that! Do you think that they will treat her kindly?"

"She will fulfill her duty," Tywin replied sternly.

"As what?" Tyrion snapped. "Your sacrificial lamb?"

Tywin's eyes narrowed.

"I already told you once to watch your tongue. Perhaps you do not understand the meaning of duty or family honor, but your sister does. As you yourself said, _she_ has never brought me any shame. Your brother lost his hand, your sister her daughter. This is what Minea needs to do for our family. We need this alliance with the Starks."

"Father…" Tyrion pleaded tensely. "Don't do this to her."

"It has already been done. She will leave as soon as possible. Speaking of which…" Tywin paused and stood up. "I want you to escort her to her new home and give her away. Obviously I won't be present at the wedding…"

"No, I won't," Tyrion cut in tensely.

"You won't?" Tywin repeated icily. "You want me to ask your brother? When he is still recovering?"

"No, but I refuse to give my sister to someone who will no doubt take all his anger out on her. After what Joffrey did to Ned Stark and Sansa…"

"He did not do anything to her. The girl took her own life."

"Yes, because Joffrey tormented her! Can't you honestly see what kind of a vile creature he is?"

"Do I need to remind you that this is your king you speak of," Tywin stated coldly.

Tyrion shook his head.

"You still think you can control him…"

"Enough," Tywin snorted. "You will go with Minea and present her and her dowry to Robb Stark."

Tyrion glared at his father.

"How can you sleep at night?"

Tywin almost smiled.

"I sleep well because I always put our family first. For once I ask you to do the same."

Tyrion stormed out without saying a word. Tywin sighed before taking a seat. His younger son was nothing but a disappointment to him. Minea however had always known her place. There was no doubt that her life wouldn't be easy, but Tywin was sure that she would learn how to cope. She was after all a Lannister.


	2. Man of honor

**Chapter 1**

 **Man of honor**

King's Landing

Minea Lannister was standing in the garden, looking at the ships sailing away from the harbor. She could smell the salty water and feel the wind on her face. There were also some other, more unpleasant odors, but she tried her best to ignore them. She had always loved the sea; it was one of the things she would miss the most. Not to mention the warmth, she had never really liked cold.

There would be very cold in the north, more ways than one. She would marry a man who most likely already despised her. Not the kind of future she had hoped for herself. She had spent most of her life in Casterly Rock and she wouldn't have minded staying there. Unlike many other ladies, she would have preferred staying unmarried and concentrate on her studies.

Of course her father would have never allowed that. He had never paid much attention to her or spent time with her, but he had never failed to remind her what her purpose was. Her life didn't belong to her, it never had, it belonged to her House. Right now her only purpose was to give birth to a son as soon as possible. A Lannister heir for House Stark.

"Sister."

Minea startled as she suddenly heard Cersei's voice, she hadn't heard her coming. Quickly she turned around.

"Your Grace."

Cersei smiled, she had two guards with her, as always.

"What do you think about the capital?" Cersei asked.

"It seems quite crowded."

"Yes, it is. I still remember when I saw it for the first time."

"Was that before you married the king?"

"Yes. Feels like a lifetime ago."

Minea had been a small child when Cersei had gotten married; she hadn't attended at the wedding. The truth was that she didn't really know her sister much better than she knew her father; they hadn't spent much time together. Sure she would have wanted to come and visit her siblings, her niece and nephews, but her father had wanted her to stay in Casterly Rock.

She had seen Jaime few times along the years when he had come to Casterly Rock with the king, but the sibling she was closest to was Tyrion. He had often visited her and always brought her new books to read. He had even played with her when she had been a child and called her the little lion cub. She hoped that he would come to visit her to the north sometimes.

"I was older than you are now when I married Robert," Cersei continued after a moment of silence. "Yet I didn't feel ready."

"I think I know what you mean."

Cersei observed Minea's face for a moment before speaking.

"Ned Stark was a man of honor. I have heard the same about his son."

Minea nodded and tried her best to smile. Yes, Ned Stark had been a man of honor and he was dead now. So was Sansa Stark. And Talisa Stark. Whether Robb Stark was a man of honor or not, Minea wasn't foolish enough to expect kindness from him.

* * *

Winterfell

Robb Stark stared at the tomb of the only woman he had ever loved. His beautiful Talisa. She had been buried in the crypt along with his father and sister. Robb came here every day, no matter how much work he had. He was the Lord of Winterfell and the High Lord of the North now. Not King of the North. That had been one of the compromises he had been forced to make.

Of course the Lannisters has had to make compromises as well, but that didn't really offer him much solace. He had lost his wife and his unborn child. It had changed him for good. Without his mother and Jon he wouldn't have been able to make rational decisions. He wasn't responsible only for his own life; he was responsible for the lives of his people.

Getting countless of men killed for the sake of revenge would have been madness. It was more than possible that they could have won the war, but the cost would have been high, so when the Lannisters had wanted to negotiate for peace, Robb had reluctantly listened to his mother and Jon and agreed. The negotiations had lasted for a long time, but finally they had reached an agreement.

Tywin Lannister had fortunately represented his grandson; Robb didn't think that he would have been able to control himself if he would have had to deal with Joffrey. What Robb had resisted the most was marrying Tywin's younger daughter, a half-sister of Cercei, Jaime and Tyrion. Just the thought made him sick. Betraying Talisa like that… Unfortunately he didn't have much choice. Their marriage would seal the peace treaty.

Robb knew nothing about Minea Lannister and he didn't want to know anything about her. According to Tywin, she would be a good wife.

No.

Perhaps Robb would have to marry her, but she would never be his wife. He would never care about her, how could he. It didn't matter; he would still have to do this. For his people and his family.

He needed to look after his mother, his brothers and his sister. That was what his father would want. The walls of Winterfell were now stronger than ever, the whole castle had been renovated after the war. This had been the home of his family for generations and it was his duty to past it on to the next generations. The next generations….

He clenched his fists and turned his head away from Talisa's tomb. His children would have Lannister blood in their veins. The thought was nothing but sickening. The last thing he wanted was a Lannister to be the mother of his children. He doubted that he could ever feel anything but hatred toward his wife.


	3. Now and forever

**Chapter 2**

 **Now and forever**

Minea looked outside through the window of the carriage. She had read many books about the north, but she hadn't been able to really imagine it. Everything just looked so…harsh. Wild. Cold. There were no cities, only villages. She had washed her face in the river when they had stopped and noticed that the water was freezing. She wouldn't be able to go swimming here. The thought was quite depressing. She was a good swimmer; she had swum in the sea ever since she had been a small child. Just the thought of swimming in the icy river made her shiver.

"Are you cold, my lady?" her handmaiden Ersa asked.

"No, I am fine, thank you."

She wasn't fine. Today was the day. They would arrive at Winterfell and she would marry Robb Stark. The journey had been long, but she wished it would have been longer. She looked outside again and saw Tyrion riding next to the carriage. He smiled at her. She smiled too; she was more than grateful for his company.

They had talked a lot during the journey, she had asked him to tell her everything he knew about the Starks and the north. Lady Catelyn Stark most likely wouldn't like Minea any more than her son. Lord Bran Stark was still young, but he was a cripple because of her family. Lord Rickon Stark was a child and Lady Arya Stark hated her family. Then there was Lord Jon Snow, Robb Stark's half-brother and second-in-command.

According to Tyrion, he was a brave and honorable man, but Minea suspected that he also hated her family. Well, pretty much everyone in the north hated her family. Most families had lost someone in the war. Minea had no idea how they would accept her as the wife of their High Lord. She startled as she suddenly heard the horns. They were approaching Winterfell.

"Open the gates!" she heard someone shouting.

Minea's hands were folded in her lap; nervously she crossed them as her convoy rode through the gates. The carriage stopped and the door opened.

"My lady," one of the soldiers said and offered her his hand. She took it, allowing him to help her out of the carriage. Cautiously she looked around in the courtyard, but she didn't have much time to look at her new home when a dark-haired man approached her. Was he Robb Stark? The look in his eyes wasn't hostile, but it wasn't warm either.

"My lady," he greeted her. "Welcome to Winterfell. My name is Jon Snow."

"My lord," she replied and curtsied. "I am honored to meet you."

"Lord Jon!" Tyrion greeted him. "It has been a while."

"Lord Tyrion," Lord Jon replied.

"So, where is the High Lord?" Tyrion asked.

"He is busy," Lord Jon replied, quite rudely. "He welcomes you and apologizes for not being here. He has many things to do before tonight."

The wedding was tonight. Minea became even more nervous when she realized that she wasn't going to even meet her husband before the wedding.

"Lida will show you your chambers, my lady," Lord Jon continued, nodding towards a young woman standing beside him. "Lord Tyrion, follow me please."

Tyrion looked at Minea and touched her hand.

"I will see you soon, sister."

Minea felt completely out of place when she was suddenly standing in the middle of a strange courtyard, surrounded by strangers. There were soldiers and servants, most of them were looking at her. Or more like glaring at her. If a look could have killed, she would have been dead. All she wanted was to get back into the carriage and return home. She didn't want to be here any more than these people wanted her here.

"This way, my lady," Lida said.

Somehow Minea managed to follow the girl, she was grateful that Ersa was beside her. Winterfell seemed like a very dark place comparing to Casterly Rock. Her chamber was more modest than back home, but she wasn't complaining. There was a big canopy bed, a dresser, a closet, a chest, couple of soft rugs, two armchairs, a desk, a bathtub and most of all a roaring fire in the fireplace.

"We prepared a bath for you, my lady," Lida said and glanced at Ersa. "Do you need some assistance?"

"No, thank you," Minea replied. Right now she wanted to be alone with Ersa, she had noticed that Lida was trying to hide her loathing. She sighed after the servant girl had left.

"They all hate me."

"I am sure things will get better, my lady," Ersa assured.

Minea doubted that, but there really wasn't much she could do. She would just have to somehow endure this.

* * *

3 hours later

Minea was struggling to stay calm as she walked down the aisle, towards the altar. She squeezed Tyrion's hand, more than grateful for his presence. The room was full of people, but she didn't really dare to look at any of them. She could sense their hatred and wondered were all the Starks here. Tyrion had mentioned that Lady Arya wouldn't attend at the wedding; she had been "unwell".

Perhaps that was the case with the other Starks as well, Minea doubted that they wanted to welcome here into their family. Her wedding gown was cream-colored, but her cloak was red and gold, the colors of the Lannisters. Her father has had it made for her, despite of her protest. The last thing she wanted was to anger her husband and his family more. Tyrion had said that she looked beautiful, but right now she would have wanted nothing more than to be invisible. Her heart was pounding when they reached the altar and Tyrion reluctantly handed her over to Robb Stark.

"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection," the septon said.

Finally Minea dared to glance at her husband. Robb Stark had dark hair and dark eyes, just like Jon Snow, but his eyes were much…colder. There was no expression on his face. He didn't look at Minea's face; he simply took her cloak off, quite roughly and put his own cloak around her shoulders.

"My lords, my ladies," the septon proclaimed. "We stand here in the sight of gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever."

Minea's hand was shaking a little as she gave it to her husband. His hand felt rigid; clearly he wouldn't have wanted to touch her. The septon tied a ribbon in a knot around their hands.

"Let in be known that Lord Robb from House Stark and Lady Minea from House Lannister are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder. In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity."

Lord Robb almost yanked his hand away as soon as the septon unraveled the ribbon. Minea was praying for this to be over already, but it wasn't.

"Look upon each other and say the words."

Minea swallowed before she managed to look at her husband. His face was still blank.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger," they said simultaneously. "I am his and he is mine," Minea murmured as her husband said the same vow. "From this day, until the end of my days."

Lord Robb's eyes looked even colder as he leaned towards her.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love," he muttered through clenched teeth, forcing each word out. His lips barely touched hers and there was certainly no applauds. This was it. She was trapped now for the rest of her life.


	4. Silent tears

**Warning, some violence.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Silent tears**

 _"You are a Lannister, no expense will be spared for your wedding. It will be the greatest feast the north has ever seen."_

Minea remembered her father's words as she sat at the long table next to her husband. The hall was full of people and there was plenty of food, wine and ale, but this seemed more like a funeral than wedding. Her father had paid everything and he had even sent musicians, jugglers and fire breathers from King's Landing.

Minea was aware that he hadn't done it for her; he had simply wanted to demonstrate the wealth of the Lannisters. Like the Starks wouldn't have hated them enough already. Lord Robb hadn't spoken a word to her after the wedding ceremony; he had barely even looked at her. Some people were talking, but there was no joy or laughter. The northern lords had rigidly congratulated her, but she guessed that they had fantasized about cutting her throat. The only friendly face she had seen was Tyrion's.

"More wine," her husband demanded.

Minea had noticed that he had drunk a lot already. That made her very nervous; she was afraid what would happen when they would be alone. She hadn't expected gentleness, but she had hoped that he wouldn't be violent either. The first time would hurt, she knew that and it scared her. She stared at her plate, she had no appetite.

Finally she dared to look up and noticed Lady Catelyn staring at her. They had met briefly and Lady Catelyn had made it quite clear what she thought of her son's new wife. Minea tried her best to smile at her, but Lady Catelyn turned her head away and said something to the lord sitting next to her. Lord Bran and Lord Rickon had been here earlier, but they had already retired. Minea hadn't had a chance to speak with either of them. But the person she hoped to speak with the most was her husband. She swallowed and decided to at least try.

"Pardon me, my lord…"

"Friends!" one of the lords announced before she could finish her sentence. Clearly this lord was drunk and the look in his eyes was everything but friendly. "I say it's time for the bedding!"

Minea froze, she had forgotten all about the unpleasant tradition. Quickly she looked at her husband, praying that he would forbid it. He didn't, he was concentrated on his wine goblet. She yelped in pain as she was roughly lifted up by several drunken men.

"Lord Robb…" she heard Tyrion protesting before the men carried her out of the hall. They were groping her so roughly that her body would no doubt be full of bruises tomorrow. The terror had paralyzed her, but she cried out when they started to tear her clothes off.

"Lannister whore," someone hissed.

"Have you fucked your brothers like your sister? Is that how you Lannisters like it?"

"Has the imp fucked you?"

"I think he has and I bet the little whore loved it."

"Minea!" Tyrion's voice shouted. "Stop that!"

"Oh look, the imp is mad," one of the men chuckled. "I think he wants his whore back."

Minea was struggling to hold back her tears; the men had ripped all her clothes off now. She couldn't hear Tyrion's voice anymore as she was carried to the bed chamber. Her back collided with something soft; she had just been thrown on the bed. Desperately she tried to cover had naked body with her arms.

"You are not fooling anyone," one of the men snorted. "Filthy little whore…"

"That's enough!" a male voice commanded. "Everyone out!"

Minea's heart was pounding like a drum and she was shaking, still holding back her tears.

"It's alright," the same male voice said. "Here."

She flinched as something touched her skin.

"It's alright."

Finally she recognized the man. Lord Jon. He had just put a blanket over her. She didn't have time to thank him or say anything else when he walked out. Her husband entered the bed chamber soon after that. He hadn't been carried here or been stripped of his clothes, he was fully clothed and he had a wine bottle in his hand.

Neither of them spoke, he emptied the bottle with few long gulps. Then he walked over to the bed and finally looked at her. It wasn't difficult to see how drunk he was. She was still shaking, but she didn't dare to protest when he took a hold of the blanket and lifted it. To her shock, he put it over her face. Her first thought was that he was going to suffocate her.

"My lord, please…"

"Quiet," he snapped. "Do not speak."

She was about to panic as the bed squeaked under his weight.

"Talisa…" he murmured.

She flinched as his fingers touched her chest. His touch was gentle, loving. In his mind he was touching someone else. Talisa. Minea's eyes were watering up, she couldn't help it. She was more than grateful that he couldn't see her face. His hands fondled her breasts and caressed her stomach. She flinched again as she suddenly felt his mouth kissing her neck.

He traced kisses down her chest and closed his lips around her breast. She bit her lip in order to stop herself from making any sounds. It seemed that he wasn't going to hurt her as long as she would stay quiet and wouldn't move. He wouldn't hurt Talisa. A gasp escaped from Minea's lips as he sucked and nipped her breasts.

"My love…" he murmured, sliding his hand down her side. His fingers caressed her inner thigh before he gently pushed her legs open. A part of her wanted to push his hand away, but she didn't. This was his right and her duty. She cried silently under the blanket as he touched her most private place. It didn't hurt, not before he slid a finger inside her, but she felt like a cheap whore. This was her wedding night and her husband was so repulsed by her that he couldn't even bear to see her face.

She barely managed to muffle a cry of pain as he thrust into her. It really hurt. She bit her bottom lip so hard that she tasted the blood in her mouth. Somehow she managed to hold still as he kept thrusting into her again and again, repeating Talisa's name. Finally he was finished, but unfortunately he passed out and collapsed on top of her. He was heavy; she had to struggle to push him off her.

With shaky hands she lifted the blanket. Tears were coursing down her cheeks, her whole body was hurting. She curled up into a fetal position and rocked herself calmingly. Everything would be alright. Everything would be alright. Everything would be… no, it wouldn't. This was her life now; she had no choice but to accept it. She needed to be strong. She needed to believe that there would be something more than suffering for her here.


	5. Friend or foe

**Chapter 4**

 **Friend or foe**

Jon was exhausted when he finally headed to his chamber. He had been in many battles, but dealing with the drunken lords had been worse than most of them. Everything was so much clearer in a battle; at least he knew who the enemy was. Politics had never been his thing, he preferred action, but he had been forced to learn. Robb needed his help, probably more now than ever. Losing their father, Sansa and Talisa had changed Robb, made him harsher and colder.

Yet Jon didn't want to believe that his brother would hurt an innocent young woman. At least she seemed innocent, even if she was a Lannister. Of course it was possible that she was acting, Lannisters were known for their manipulation skills. Could she be here to spy on them? Perhaps, but her terror earlier had most definitely been genuine, Jon was sure of it. He had seen enough brutality toward women to recognize genuine fear.

He was willing to bet that the Lannister girl had never been with a man. Her brother seemed to care about her deeply; he had pleaded Jon to help her after some of the drunken lords had stopped him from following them. Jon couldn't deny that he had actually felt bad for Tyrion Lannister. If someone would have done that to Arya and Jon would have been unable to help her…

Minea Lannister hadn't deserved to be treated like that. Robb should have said something; the girl was his wife now. Jon sighed tiredly and bumped into someone who was coming from behind the corner. Minea Lannister and her handmaiden. Jon's eyes widened when he saw Robb's newlywed wife. She wasn't very tall, but now she looked even smaller and her naturally pale skin looked even paler. Her eyes were swollen, he guessed from crying, and she was leaning on her handmaiden who seemed to be supporting her shaking body, stopping her from collapsing on the floor. She was wearing a nightgown and a cloak that she had wrapped tightly around her petite body.

"My lady? Are you alright?" he managed to ask.

"Yes, thank you," she murmured. She kept her eyes on the floor, but her handmaiden glared at him, struggling to control her anger. The look in her eyes told him that she was willing to do anything to protect her lady in case Jon would try to hurt her.

"Where are you going?" Jon asked.

All three of them knew that she was supposed to spend the whole night in her husband's chamber.

"I am afraid my lady is unwell," the handmaiden stated. "The excitement was too much, High Lord told me to escort her to her own chamber."

Jon had no doubt that was a lie. His eyes narrowed when a very unpleasant thought crossed his mind. If they had done something to Robb…

"Did he now? I think I will go and ask him…"

"No!" Lady Minea suddenly cried out and slowly looked up. "My lord, I… I am aware I have no right to ask anything from you, but I beg you to hear what I have to say."

Jon couldn't help but to think that she looked like a wounded animal, scared and exhausted. He noticed a bruise on her neck, although she had tried to hide it with the cloak. There was no doubt that she had many more bruises under her clothes, the lords had treated her very roughly. The thought of several grown men taking their anger and bitterness out on someone half of their size was nothing more than repulsing. What kind of a coward did that? Jon did feel bad for the girl, but he didn't know yet was she an enemy or not.

"Alright," he stated as carelessly as he could. "I'm listening."

Clearly she was nervous, but she tried her best to look confident.

"I fulfilled my duty," she said quietly but clearly. "High Lord…fell asleep afterwards and I did not wish to disturb him. I don't have his permission to leave, but Ersa told you the truth, I am not well. Will you be so kind and allow me to go to my chamber?"

She was trying to hold on what was left of her dignity and Jon didn't see any reason to take that from her. Clearly she had been through enough for one night.

"Yes, you may go, my lady."

"Thank you, my lord," she replied cautiously. "I bid you good night."

Both women curtsied before Ersa wrapped her arm around Lady Minea's waist again and started to lead her towards her chamber. Jon needed a moment to clear his thoughts before he marched to Robb's chamber and opened the door. The first thing he smelled was the alcohol. Robb was lying on his bed, passed out. It seemed that his wife had put a blanket over him. Jon sighed and walked over to the bed. He noticed the blood on the sheet. There was a lot of blood.

The girl had been a virgin; Robb could have at least tried to go easy on her. Who was he kidding; Robb had been so drunk that he probably wouldn't even remember anything about his wedding night. Robb had made it clear earlier that he didn't want to remember anything about it. His wife however would no doubt remember every moment, whether she would want to or not.

Jon shook his head; this wasn't the Robb he knew. His brother had always been an honorable man, just like their father. The Robb he knew would have never harmed a woman. He had worshiped Talisa and despised all the men who mistreated their wives. Yes, Jon had liked Talisa as well and he had mourned her, but losing her didn't give Robb the right to treat his new wife like this. If she had some kind of hidden agenda, they would find it out, but right now Robb needed to get a grip. Jon was determined to make sure that his brother would pull himself together and start to act like the leader he was supposed to be.


	6. Monster

**Chapter 5**

 **Monster**

When Robb slowly opened his eyes, he regretted it immediately. The light cut him like a knife, his head hurt worse than ever before. Had he been injured in a battle?

"Robb."

The male voice sounded somehow familiar, but it took a moment before he recognized it.

"What?" he murmured.

"Not feeling well?" Jon's voice snorted.

Robb blinked few times and rubbed his temples.

"What… What happened?" he murmured.

"You got married last night. Remember that?"

Married? Suddenly he did remember. He had been forced to marry the Lannister girl. Very slowly he rolled on his side and realized that he was lying on his bed. Jon was standing next to the bed with his arms crossed. Robb frowned, why was his brother here? And where was the girl, wasn't she supposed to be here? Not that he really wanted her here, he wasn't even sure had they consummated their marriage.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I think we need to talk," Jon replied firmly.

"About what?"

"About the way you treated your wife last night."

"What are you talking about?" Robb snorted.

"You really don't remember?"

Robb tried to think, but he didn't know what Jon was talking about. He remembered the wedding ceremony, at least some parts of it, and the feast. He remembered hating himself for betraying Talisa and hoping that his new wife would simply disappear. He had hated her for sitting there when his Talisa was dead. Yet he couldn't remember that he would have even said a bad word to her.

"Remember what?" he was finally forced to ask.

Jon looked at him harshly.

"The bedding for starters. You let all those drunken lords practically abuse her."

Robb couldn't remember anything like that.

"You must be exaggerating…"

"I saw her last night, coming from your chamber," Jon cut in. "She wouldn't have been able to even stand without her handmaiden."

Robb wasn't sure what to say, had he… From the corner of his eye, he noticed the blood on the sheet. He had. Why couldn't he remember…? He did remember something. He remembered looking at her lying on the bed and thinking that he hated her. For a brief moment he had wanted to kill her. After that… Nothing. That wasn't good. How badly had he hurt her? It didn't matter that he had been forced to marry her, she was a woman and he had never hurt a woman before. Not to mention she was his wife. What had he done?

"Let me just ask you one question," Jon stated. "If someone would treat Arya like you treated your wife last night, what would you do to that man?"

 _I would kill him_. Robb couldn't say that out loud, he was too ashamed.

"I am aware that she is a Lannister and obviously we need to keep an eye on her, but there is no need to make this whole thing even more unpleasant to both of you," Jon continued. "Do you want a wife who hates and fears you?"

No, he didn't. He wanted Talisa.

"Perhaps she should fear me," Robb stated, feeling angry again.

Jon looked at him disbelievingly.

"You can't mean that. What would father say if he would…?"

"Father is dead," Robb snapped. "Because of the Lannisters."

"Yes, but this girl didn't kill him," Jon replied firmly. "You want to punish her for something her family did?"

Robb didn't reply, he knew that Jon was right. He just didn't want to admit it. Admitting it would mean that he would have to acknowledge the savagery of his own behavior. He needed to see the girl and make sure that she was alright. Just not right now.

"Where is Lady Minea?" he asked as carelessly as he could.

"In her chamber I believe," Jon replied. "She and her brother had breakfast there; her handmaiden informed that she is unwell."

Unwell… Robb kept his face free from emotion, but he felt a nasty sting. He would go and see the girl later. He didn't think that he could face her yet. Besides, he had a lot of work to do. He had time to work everything out with her later.

* * *

Few hours later

Robb bit his bottom lip as he stood in front of the door to Lady Minea's chamber. He had lingered the whole day, but now he needed to do this. After taking a deep breath, he finally knocked. The handmaiden opened the door.

"My lord," she greeted him tensely. She barely managed to hide her loathing.

"I am here to see Lady Minea," he stated as calmly as he could.

Reluctantly the handmaiden stepped aside, letting him in. Lady Minea was lying on the bed, but she stood up immediately when he entered her chamber.

"My lord," she stated and curtsied. She was wearing a nightgown and it seemed that she was about to go to sleep.

Robb glanced at the handmaiden.

"Leave us, please."

Clearly she wouldn't have wanted to do that, but of course she obeyed. Lady Minea was still standing next to the bed, keeping her eyes on the floor. For the first time Robb really looked at her. She was almost a head shorter than him, pale and thin young woman who had light auburn hair and dark green eyes. Nothing like Talisa… No, he needed to focus. He needed to talk to her.

"You have everything you need here?" he finally managed to say.

"Yes, thank you, my lord."

"Good…. That's good." He paused and walked over to the fireplace, turning his back on her. This wasn't working at all. "Do you know why I came?"

"I believe so, my lord."

"Good." He paused again and took a deep breath before turning around. "I would like to…"

He didn't finish his sentence when he saw that she was naked. His eyes widened, he couldn't do anything except stare at her bruised body. She had straightened her back and she looked nothing but dignified as she lied down and covered her face with a blanket. After that she didn't move or make a sound. What was she…?

 _"Quiet…Do not speak… Talisa…"_

Suddenly he remembered, although he would have preferred not to. He wanted to say something, but nothing came out. What could he possibly say that would make things any better? She most likely saw him as a monster. He couldn't bear to look at her; he marched out as quickly as he could.


	7. A pitiful mouse

**Chapter 6**

 **A pitiful mouse**

Minea sat silently at the dressing table as Ersa was brushing her hair. She hadn't slept well last night, not after her husband's visit. Apparently she had somehow displeased him. Perhaps he would have wanted her to feel more humiliated instead of willingly submitting to him. Had that been too easy for him? She had hoped to make the whole thing as painless as possible by simply giving him what she had assumed he had wanted. Why else would he have come to her chamber?

There was no doubt that he hated her, but why would that stop him from demanding her to fulfill her marital duties. He was a man and according to Minea's experience, there weren't many things they wanted from women. Whether they liked a woman or even tolerated her, made no difference. Minea pressed her lips together; she wasn't going to let her husband break her.

At least she knew now what their marriage was going to be like and she was determined to find a way to endure. With any luck, he would find himself a mistress, if he didn't have one already. Obviously Minea needed to give him an heir, but hopefully he would leave her alone after she would be with child.

"How are you feeling, my lady?" Ersa asked.

"I am fine."

Ersa was quiet for a moment before continuing.

"Do you wish to have your breakfast here?"

Minea was about to say yes, but suddenly she changed her mind. Maybe everyone in Winterfell hated her, but she was still the wife of the High Lord. She was done hiding in her chamber.

"I believe I will go to the dining hall."

Ersa smiled.

"That is good, my lady. You are a Lannister, you should keep your head high."

Minea smiled too, she was more than grateful to have Ersa here. She had been Minea's handmaiden and a trusted friend for many years. After Tyrion would leave, Ersa would be the only friend she would have here. The only person who had been at least somewhat polite to her had been Lord Jon, but Minea wasn't foolish enough to expect much from him.

What she desperately needed was an ally. There had to be someone here who didn't already hate her. Well, if there was, she hadn't met that person yet. She sighed and concentrated on choosing something proper to wear. Something modest and practical. Hopefully that would help her new family to see that she wasn't just an arrogant Lannister.

"Do you know where my brother is?" she asked.

"I believe he went to seek some…company last night," Ersa replied.

"Ah. He probably won't attend at the breakfast then."

Tyrion had spent the whole day with Minea yesterday and she had been very grateful for his company, but she hadn't told him the truth about her wedding night. She had only said that everything had gone as well as could be expected. The memory still made her shiver and she hoped that she would be with child already. Hopefully then she wouldn't have to endure his touch again before the child would be born.

"Keep your head high, my lady," Ersa said before Minea headed to the dining hall.

"I will."

She took a deep breath before entering the dining hall. All the Starks, except her husband, were sitting at the table.

"Good morning," Minea said and tried her best to smile.

Lady Arya's eyes narrowed before she stood up and marched out without saying a word.

This was starting well…

"Good morning," Lady Catelyn replied coolly.

Lord Bran greeted Minea somewhat cautiously and Lord Rickon simply stared at her. Lady Catelyn didn't ask Minea to join them; she simply started talking to her sons. Minea walked over to the table and took a seat; she wasn't going to give up. Not that she had much chance, this was her home now.

"Winterfell truly is a beautiful place," Minea said politely as soon as no one else was talking.

"Yes, it is," Lady Catelyn replied, just as coolly as before. "Excuse me."

A tall male servant approached the table and picked Lord Bran up.

"Hodor," the servant hummed.

Lady Catelyn walked out of the dining hall, followed by her sons. Minea sighed and closed her eyes. Not a very good start, but she needed to keep trying. This was her home; she was the High Lady of Winterfell. That was a strange thought. In Casterly Rock she had mostly been invisible, but now she had her own household. Not that this felt like her household, she felt more like an intruder.

She didn't think that would change any time soon and right now she felt that she would have preferred the invisibility. How pathetic was that. She had never been like her sister, she wasn't a lion. She was a pitiful mouse. No. She was done being a mouse. Yes, she had been dragged here and forced to marry a man who hated her, but there had to be a way to make her life here at least tolerable. There had to be someone here who would be willing to give her a chance…

"Good morning, my lady."

She looked up and saw Lord Jon entering the room.

"Good morning, my lord."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, no, not at all," she replied quickly. "Please."

"Thank you."

He took a seat opposite her and yawned.

"Did you have a long night, my lord?"

"Yes, I did."

"Oh. Nothing serious I hope?"

He shook his head.

"No."

Apparently he wasn't in a talkative mood this morning. She was trying to think of something suitable to talk about, but he spoke first.

"How about you, my lady? Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did, thank you."

"Hmm, that's good. What are you planning to do today?"

"I… I have not thought about it yet, but I would love to get to know Winterfell."

"I am sure you would. Perhaps you would to like to take a walk outside?"

She hesitated for a brief moment before replying. Was this some kind of a test?

"That sounds wonderful. I am sure my brother can escort me after he wakes up…"

"I can escort you, if you like," he stated. "I was planning to take a walk anyway."

Again she hesitated. This was a great opportunity, but it would have been foolish to blindly trust him.

"You are very kind, my lord. Do you mind if my handmaiden joins us?"

"No, of course not."

She smiled, wanting to believe that there was no hidden agenda behind his offer. His friendship would be a very good thing, but she wasn't sure if she had any chance earning it.


	8. Out of place

**Chapter 7**

 **Out of place**

"It's beautiful here," Lady Minea said. "The air is very…fresh."

"Yes," Jon replied.

"And the wildlife, lovely."

She was smiling, but Jon could tell that she was cold. It wasn't difficult to see that she felt out of place. They were walking outside the walls of Winterfell, accompanied by her handmaiden and four guards who were walking few steps behind them. The guards weren't here to protect her only because she was Robb's wife, they were here because she was a Lannister. There was no doubt many people in the north who would like to harm her.

"So, do you usually spend a lot of time outdoors, my lady?" Jon asked.

"I… Not a lot, but I do enjoy swimming in the sea."

"I see. Unfortunately there's no sea here."

"No, but this is nonetheless a beautiful place. A little cold perhaps, but beautiful."

"Hmm. I'm guessing that you don't like cold much."

She hesitated for a brief moment before replying.

"Not very much, but I'm sure I will adjust quickly."

"I am sure you will."

Jon couldn't really imagine what it would be like to someone who had lived in the south her whole life, never even seeing snow, to suddenly come here. Not to mention she hadn't exactly received a warm welcome. So far Jon hadn't noticed anything deceitful about her; perhaps she actually was what she seemed to be. Or then she was an excellent actress.

As much as Jon would have liked to believe that she wasn't an enemy, he couldn't simply ignore the fact that she was a Lannister. As far as he could tell, their whole family was rotten. The only one of them Jon didn't completely despise was Tyrion. Not that they were friends either, but unlike his father and siblings, Tyrion seemed to have at least some kind of moral. As far as Minea Lannister was concerned, Jon really wasn't sure yet what to make of her.

"So," he continued after a moment of silence. "What did you usually do in Casterly Rock, my lady? Since you mentioned you didn't spend much time outdoors."

"I studied," she replied. "I spent most of my time in the library and… Well, I was hoping that perhaps I could continue my studies. Of course that wasn't really an option, but it was my dream."

"What would you have liked to do then?" Jon asked. "If you could have done anything."

"I would have loved to work as a scribe," she replied. "Archive and make copies of texts and maps in the library. Study and analyze them."

That sounded very boring to Jon, but he could see the spark in her eyes when she talked. That had really been her dream.

"The library was a safe place for me," she continued. "I enjoyed spending time there."

Somehow Jon could see her in that kind of environment. Where she was now was a complete opposite of that. No wonder she felt out of place. And it seemed that she was still cold.

"Here," Jon stated and wrapped his cloak around her shoulders.

She was clearly surprised.

"Thank you, my lord."

"You're welcome."

"You did not have to…"

"Right now you are under my care, my lady and I'm sure my brother wouldn't want you to be cold."

She didn't reply to that, but it wasn't difficult to see what she was thinking. She doubted that Robb cared at all if she was cold or not.

"My brother is a good man, my lady," Jon stated after a moment of silence. "I understand you may not see that right now, but he is. He has lost a lot."

"I know, my lord," she replied quietly. "I am deeply sorry for his loss. As well as yours."

"Thank you. And to be clear, I do not approve how you were treated. You did nothing to deserve that."

"Thank you, my lord, I appreciate you saying that."

"Sure. Perhaps we should continue the tour inside. It seems to me that my cloak didn't help you much."

"It did," she assured quickly. "I am just… Perhaps I need a little more time adjusting."

Jon smiled.

"There is no reason to be embarrassed, my lady. Between you and me, I am not always so fond of the cold either."

She smiled too.

"Somehow I find that hard to believe, my lord. You seem like a man who could survive anywhere."

"Then you have obviously never seen me dancing."

She burst into laughter and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

"Forgive me, my lord."

"No need to apologize. I really can't dance."

"Well, it's harder than it looks. I didn't enjoy my dancing lessons very much, not like a proper lady should have."

"That's understandable. I can't imagine who could enjoy something like that."

"I definitely agree."

She was smiling as they returned to the Winterfell and if Jon wasn't mistaken, her smile was genuine. He was starting to believe that she really was exactly what she seemed to be. Whether that was a good thing or not was another matter. If she really was as innocent as she seemed to be, Robb had a lot to apologize for. Hopefully he would see that and hopefully she would find a way to forgive him.


	9. Unfortunate accident

**I'm sorry, I forgot to add answers to your questions in the previous chapter. You can find some of the answers in this chapter, like how Talisa died. No, Jon didn't go to the Wall and High Lord is Robb's title because the North has autonomy and he is practically the king.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 **Unfortunate accident**

"…and they have requested your verdict as soon as possible," one of Robb's scribes said. "How do you wish to respond? My lord?"

"Yes…" Robb murmured absentmindedly. "Yes, I will take care of that as soon as I can."

"Shall I send them a raven or…?"

"I will let you know as soon as I can," Robb stated tensely, trying to hide his annoyance.

"Yes, my lord."

Robb gritted his teeth; he desperately needed some fresh air. He had barely slept at all last night after meeting Lady Minea. His wife. A Lannister. A woman who he had hurt. It didn't matter that she was a Lannister and he had been forced to wed her. None of that justified his behavior. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to face her again. She probably hated and perhaps even feared him. That wasn't a very good ground for a marriage.

Things had been very different with Talisa. She had loved Robb just as much as he had loved her. He would have given his life for her and if he could have taken her place, he would have. She had been an innocent, kindhearted woman who was dead now because he had wed her. He missed her every single day, but he also felt endless guilt for her death.

The assassin had been sent to kill him, not her and their unborn child. At least so Tywin Lannister had assured. Talisa's death had been "an unfortunate accident". Robb hadn't believed that, not for a second. All he would have wanted was to kill every single Lannister, but instead he had been forced to make peace with them. For his family and his people.

The North had the autonomy now, although Robb couldn't call himself the king. Not that he really cared about titles; he had lost what he had held most dear. He could have perhaps handled marrying a daughter of some northern lord, but a Lannister… No, that didn't matter. The girl was his wife now and she would be the mother of his children. He needed to find a way to get along with her. Tiredly he climbed the stairs up to the wall.

"My lord," the guards greeted him and bowed.

"Everything in order here?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"Good."

He often climbed up the wall and took a walk when he needed a moment to clear his thoughts. Suddenly he noticed Jon behind the wall. He was walking with Lady Minea and few guards. Robb frowned, what was Jon doing with her? They were just heading back to Winterfell, Lady Minea was smiling at Jon. And apparently she was wearing his cloak. Robb returned to his study after telling a guard to inform Jon that he wanted to see him. It didn't take long before Jon arrived.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Robb stated tensely. "What were you doing with Lady Minea?"

Jon raised an eyebrow.

"She wanted to get to know her new home, so I offered to escort her."

"Why?" Robb asked sharply.

"Do you want to hear the truth?" Jon replied. "I felt sorry for the girl and I am not completely heartless."

Robb pressed his lips together.

"I thought we agreed to find out who she really is…"

"I believe I did that," Jon cut in. "As far as I can tell, there is nothing deceitful about her. She has lived quite a sheltered life in Casterly Rock and spent most of her time in the library. Her dream was to continue her studies and become a scribe."

"She told you all that?"

"Yes, she did."

"And you believe her?"

"Yes, I do," Jon replied. His tone of voice sounded harsher. "I have every reason to believe that she is as innocent as she seems to be."

"She is a Lannister," Robb stated, unwilling to believe his brother.

"She is your wife, Robb. I doubt that she wanted to wed you any more than you wanted to wed her, but you still are a husband and wife. Perhaps you should at least try to show her some kindness."

Robb didn't reply, he really didn't know what to say. His mind was a mess; he didn't even know where to start. Guilt, anger, pain, bitterness… He had a wife who he had never wanted, but she was still his wife. She had been untouched before their wedding night and he had caused her unnecessary pain and distress. A Lannister or not, but he had to admit that she hadn't deserved that. It was his duty as her lord and husband to take care of her welfare. Maybe he would never be able to genuinely care about her, but that didn't really matter.

"So… You spoke with her," Robb stated after a moment of silence.

"Yes," Jon replied.

"What else did she say?"

"Not much. I told her about Winterfell and she told me about Casterly Rock. I'm guessing that it will take a while before she will get used to the cold."

"Hmm. Well, I suppose I should thank you for escorting her."

Jon raised an eyebrow.

"No need to thank me. But if you want to do something for me, talk to your wife. I don't think that would hurt either of you."

Robb stared at the fireplace for a long while after Jon had left. His brother was right; he should at least try to have a civilized conversation with his wife. After a moment of hesitation, he called for a servant.

"Tell Lady Minea that I request her company for the dinner tonight."

"Yes, my lord."

Alright, surely he could do this. Just few polite words. How difficult could that be?


	10. Uninvited

**Chapter 9**

 **Uninvited**

Minea observed her reflection in the mirror and glanced at Ersa.

"What do you think?" she asked nervously.

Ersa smiled.

"I think you look beautiful, my lady."

"Thank you."

Minea bit her bottom lip and looked at her reflection again. She had chosen a light green gown and a copper necklace Tyrion had given her on her 12th nameday. It was her favorite necklace, he have had it made especially for her. The symbol carved on the necklace meant lion cub.

"Why do you think Lord Stark requested my presence?" she murmured.

Ersa pressed her lips together and crossed her arms.

"Perhaps he is trying to act like a decent man instead of a savage…"

"Ersa!"

"Forgive me, my lady, I shouldn't have said that."

Judging by Ersa's look, she wasn't really sorry at all. Minea smiled, she was more than grateful for her handmaiden's loyalty. She trusted Ersa just as much as she trusted Tyrion. The rest of her family she didn't really know. Jaime had always been kind to her when they had met and she remembered how he had sometimes lifted her on his shoulders when she had been a child.

He had changed a lot when she had met him in King's Landing before traveling here. She couldn't even imagine how horrible losing his hand had been to him. Thinking about that made her ashamed for complaining about her own situation. Yet this dinner made her very nervous. What if this would be like their wedding? The thought made her shiver; she didn't want to be touched.

The truth was that what had happened with those other lords and then with her husband had affected her deeper than she wanted to admit. Before that, no one had ever touched her roughly. No one had ever caused her pain. Of course she had been prepared for hostility, but not that kind of physical pain and humiliation. Her father had never been kind and caring, but he had never hurt her either. Neither had anyone else. She startled when she suddenly felt Ersa's hand on her shoulder.

"Is everything alright, my lady?"

"Yes," she replied quickly, trying her best to smile. "I am just a little nervous."

"I can believe that," Ersa replied tensely. "But you are strong, my lady, I know you are."

Minea smiled at her gratefully.

"Thank you."

Ersa didn't have time to reply when someone knocked on the door. It was Tyrion.

"Well, look at you," he said as he entered Minea's chamber. "My little lion cub has become a beautiful lioness."

Minea smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"You look very handsome as well."

"Oh, I know. Ladies, hide your daughters!"

He winked at Ersa who rolled her eyes.

"Charming as always, my lord."

"Of course." Tyrion paused and offered Minea his arm. "Shall we then?"

Together they headed to the dining hall, Minea could hear people chatting and laughing as they approached the entrance. She felt even more nervous, but she struggled to stay calm. As she and Tyrion entered the dining hall, the whole room was suddenly quiet. That didn't seem to bother Tyrion at all.

"Hello, good evening!" he said, leading Minea towards the table where the Starks sat. Lord Robb was sitting at the end of the table; there was an empty seat beside him. He stood up when Tyrion and Minea approached him.

"Good evening," Tyrion said.

"Good evening," he replied and glanced at Minea. "My lady."

"My lord," she murmured and curtsied.

He pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you."

Tyrion went to sit next to Lord Jon who greeted Minea with a nod. Lady Catelyn who was sitting on Lord Robb's other side also greeted Minea, although quite rigidly. Lady Arya didn't say a word and her younger brothers weren't very talkative either. At least the other people in the room were talking again.

"So," Lord Robb started after an awkward silence. "What do you think of Winterfell, my lady?"

"It's very beautiful, my lord."

"Yes… You took a walk behind the walls today?"

"I did, my lord. Lord Jon was kind enough to escort me."

"Hmm. Good."

They ate silently for a while, Lord Robb turned to talk with his mother. Minea wasn't sure what to think, what did her husband want her to do? Did he want to talk or was this whole thing just an unpleasant duty to him?

"My lord!" a cheerful male voice suddenly said.

Minea startled when a large drunken man appeared between her and Lord Robb.

"Good evening, my lord!"

"Good evening," Lord Robb replied.

"I am glad to be here," the man continued. "Honored. Your father… He was a great man."

"Yes, he was."

"A great man who deserved better. His murder won't be forgotten."

Minea tensed as the man glanced at her.

"Lord Eddard and his sweet daughter… I knew Lady Sansa ever since she was a little girl. She was a sweet girl. An innocent girl."

Minea's heart was pounding as the man leaned towards her. She could see the hatred in his eyes.

"That's a nice necklace you got there. Did you steal it from someone your father murdered?"

"That's enough, Lord Ducan," Lord Robb said firmly. "You are talking to my wife."

The man smiled and bowed at Minea mockingly.

"Of course. Please forgive me, Lady Lannister."

"Her name is Lady Stark," Lord Robb corrected.

"Well, it shouldn't be," the man snorted. "Forgive me, my lord, but that's the truth. You never should have agreed to marry a Lannister cunt…"

"Hey!" Tyrion snapped and stood up. "What kind of a coward harasses a woman?"

"Who should I harass then? You, imp?"

"Stop it," Lord Jon demanded. "That's enough."

"No, it's not," Lady Arya suddenly said and stood up. "Lord Ducan is right, that woman isn't a Stark and she never will be. I want her to go back where she came from, she's not welcome here!"

"Arya!" Lady Catelyn called when her daughter stormed out. "Great… Excuse me."

She gave Minea a cold glare before she went after Lady Arya. Minea felt everyone in the room staring at her, all she wanted was to hide.

"My lords, my ladies," Lord Robb said tensely. "Lady Minea is my wife and I expect all of you to show her the proper respect."

Lord Ducan snorted and made his way back to his seat. All Minea wanted was to return to her chamber, but she wasn't going to do that. Instead she would sit here and finish her dinner, although she had lost all her appetite.

"I apologize for that," Lord Robb stated tensely.

"I understand, my lord."

Actually she didn't understand. She had never done anything to anyone here and yet they treated her like a she would be some kind of a monster. She hadn't chosen her family, any more than she had chosen to come here, not to mention marrying Robb Stark. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to go home. Tears were burning behind her eyes, but she fought against them. Unfortunately one single tear rolled down her cheek before she managed to stop it. Quickly she wiped it away and continued eating. After she was finished, she excused herself and walked out.

"Minea…" Tyrion started, he was right behind her.

"I'm fine," she assured. "Everything is fine."


	11. Enough

**Chapter 10**

 **Enough**

1 week later

"Thank you for your company," Minea said smiling.

"The pleasure was all mine, little sister," Tyrion assured. "I will see you at dinner."

"Yes."

Minea felt good as she entered the bedchamber. She had spent the whole morning with Tyrion and Bronn who had arrived here couple of days ago after receiving a message from Tyrion. He hadn't told Minea that he had summoned Bronn here, but she certainly didn't mind. All friendly faces were more than welcome. They had gone riding and for a moment everything had been well. No one had glared at her or said mean things.

So far the only one who had treated her kindly here had been Lord Jon. Lord Robb had tried to be polite to her, but they hadn't spent any time alone together or even spoken to one another much. It seemed that he had been avoiding her. Not that she really minded, but she would have liked to know what he wanted her to do.

Obviously they would have to share a bed again sooner or later and she was hoping it would be less painful. Or at least less humiliating. Well, one could always hope. Right now she was more than grateful that Tyrion was still here. All her efforts to get to know her new family had been useless so far and she doubted that would change any time soon.

"Ersa?" she called and froze when she saw her handmaiden. Her hand was in a water bowl and tears were streaming down her face. "Ersa!"

Minea ran to her as fast as she could and looked at her hand. She gasped in shock when she saw that Ersa's whole hand was badly burned.

"Ersa…What happened?"

"Boiling water…" Ersa managed to sob. "The woman in the kitchen…"

Minea clenched her fists.

"That woman did this to you on purpose?"

"She claimed that it was an accident."

This was it, Minea had reached her limit. No one hurt her friend. Gently she wrapped her arm around Ersa and hugged her before carefully lifting the water bowl.

"You need to sit down," she said and guided Ersa to the bed. "Here we go. Wait here, I will be right back."

Determinedly she marched out of her chamber and headed to her husband's study.

"My lady…" the guard who was standing in front of the door started.

"I must speak to my husband," Minea cut in firmly and yanked the door open without knocking. Five men turned to look at her; one of them was Lord Jon. Lord Robb was sitting at his desk; he was clearly surprised to see her.

"My lord," she said firmly. "I must speak to you at once."

"We are in the middle of a meeting, my lady…"

"I'm afraid this is urgent. I must speak to you."

"Alright," he stated after a brief moment of hesitation. "Please excuse us."

All the other men left the room; Lord Jon glanced at Minea with a worried expression as he walked past her and closed the door behind him. Lord Robb stood up and crossed his arms.

"Alright, what can I do for you, my lady?"

"You can start by telling your servants to leave my handmaiden alone," Minea snapped, unable to control herself.

Lord Robb's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

"I believe you heard me, my lord. Your people can despise me as much as they like, but I won't tolerate anyone hurting Ersa. She has done nothing to deserve that."

"Has someone hurt her?"

"Yes, some woman in the kitchen. She burned Ersa's hand with boiling water."

Lord Robb was speechless for a moment; he didn't seem to know what to think.

"Are you sure about this, my lady? I can't believe that any of my servants…"

"You can't believe that they would hate me enough to hurt my handmaiden?" Minea stated coldly. "If you think that I am lying, please come with me and see for yourself."

"I don't think that you are lying," he replied, sounding somewhat confused. "What I meant was that perhaps there has been some kind of misunderstanding…"

"I doubt that, my lord. I believe we both know how much everyone here hates me."

Lord Robb pressed his lips together, he seemed uncomfortable.

"How is your handmaiden now?"

"She is in pain, my lord. Her whole hand is burned."

"I see." He paused and cleared his throat. "Is she in your chamber?"

"Yes, she is."

"Alright. I will send Maester Luwin to her right away."

Minea nodded rigidly.

"Thank you, my lord."

"No need to thank me, my lady. This… This should not have happened. I apologize."

"I appreciate that, my lord, but what I would appreciate even more would be your assurance that it won't happen again. As I said, Ersa have done nothing to deserve this. She is not a Lannister."

"It won't happen again," Lord Robb murmured. "I will make sure of that."

"Thank you," Minea stated and curtsied before walking out of the room. Quickly she returned to her chamber and tried her best to comfort Ersa until Maester Luwin arrived.

"Oh dear," he hummed as he examined Ersa's hand. "I must go and fetch some salves."

Tears were still rolling down Ersa's cheeks; Minea wrapped her arm around her handmaiden and stroked her hair.

"I am sorry, my lady," Ersa said quietly. "You shouldn't have to do this…"

"Ersa, you are my friend," Minea cut in firmly. "I will do whatever I have to do to help you."

Both women looked up when the door opened. They expected to see Maester Luwin, but it was Lord Robb who entered the room.

"Please, no need to stand up," he said before they managed to move. "I only came to see if you need some assistance."

"Maester Luwin went to fetch some salves," Minea replied. "He will be back soon."

"Yes… Good. That's good." He paused and looked at Ersa. Minea's arm was still around her and she had no intention to remove it. "How are you feeling?"

"I will be fine, my lord," Ersa managed to say and let out a weak sob.

Minea had never seen her in so much pain, she certainly didn't cry easily.

"I apologize, something like this should have never happened under my roof."

Minea tightened her embrace protectively as she felt Ersa shivering.

"Thank you, my lord," Minea muttered tensely.

"I… I will make sure you will have everything you need," he stated and bowed briefly before leaving. Minea barely noticed that, she only concentrated on Ersa. Her sweet, loyal Ersa. Her dearest friend. She was going to make sure that her husband would keep his promise. He owed her at least that much.


	12. The fallen king

**Chapter 11**

 **The fallen king**

2 weeks later

Joffrey was dead. Poisoned. Tommen was the new king. Robb kept reading the letter in his hand over and over again. He couldn't believe it. Joffrey was dead. For the first time in a very long time, Robb's lips curved into a genuine smile. That little bastard was dead. It seemed that there was still at least a little justice in the world.

"Well?" Jon asked after a long silence.

Robb looked up, he was still smiling.

"It's true. Joffrey is dead."

"Hmm," Jon muttered and poured them both some wine. "I think a toast is in order then."

"Yes, I most certainly agree," Robb replied and took one of the goblets. "To justice."

"To justice," Jon repeated.

They both emptied their goblets with one long gulp. Perhaps this was some kind of a victory, but it was bittersweet. Robb hadn't been the one who had killed Joffrey. He hadn't avenged his father's, sister's and Talisa's death. Well, at least there was one Lannister less. As far as Robb knew, Tommen wasn't like his older brother. It was possible that he would actually be a good king.

Yet he was still a Lannister. They could all die as far as Robb cared. He bit his bottom lip as his wife crossed his mind. They had barely spoken to each other after the incident with her handmaiden. What had happened to her hadn't been acceptable, not in Robb's household. He had made it clear to all the servants. As far as he knew, the handmaiden had healed quite well, but that wasn't the point. His wife was a Lannister, but she was still his wife and the Lady of this household.

So far his mother had taken care of all the duties of the Lady of Winterfell and Robb hadn't intervened to that. He hadn't wanted to order his mother to train Minea. Of course she needed to be trained sooner or later, but that was one of the things he had constantly postponed. Just like having a proper conversation with her, not to mention a marital visit to her bedchamber. The thought made him tense, but it was his duty to his house and his people. He needed an heir.

"Enter," he said when he heard a knock. He knew who that was; he had sent a servant to find his wife's brother as soon as the letter from King's Landing had arrived.

The door opened and Lord Tyrion entered the room.

"My lord," he greeted Robb. "Lord Jon."

"Lord Tyrion," Robb replied. "I have some news from King's Landing. King Joffrey is dead."

Robb didn't bother to hide his satisfaction as he handed the letter to Tyrion who read it quickly.

"I see," Tyrion stated after a moment of silence. He kept his face and voice free from emotion.

"My condolences," Robb said, knowing that he sounded everything but sincere.

"Well, I can't say that I would have been very fond of my nephew," Tyrion replied dryly. "But thank you, my lord. Excuse me."

Robb poured himself more wine after Tyrion had left.

"You should tell your wife," Jon said.

"I think her brother is going to do that," Robb replied absentmindedly. "Right now I simply want to enjoy this moment."

* * *

"I'm sorry, sister," Tyrion said quietly. "I must go back to King's Landing."

Minea wanted to ask him not to leave her, but of course she wouldn't do that. She wasn't some child who needed her big brother to look after her.

"I understand," she replied, managing to hide her feelings. "Of course you must go."

"Yes," Tyrion sighed. "Unfortunately someone has to make sure that our sister won't destroy everything we have built. Joffrey certainly wasn't worth that."

"He was many things, but he was also Cersei's son," Minea pointed out. "I can't even imagine the pain of losing a child."

"Yes, I know, but the truth is that Joffrey was deranged. He never should have become a king."

Minea didn't know how to reply to that, she hadn't really known Joffrey. They had only met couple of times, but they hadn't spoken much. Of course Minea had heard about some things Joffrey had done, but she still felt sorry for Cersei. Minea had no idea how she could have handled having a son like Joffrey. She wanted to believe that her love would make her son a good man, but what if the child's father and the rest of his family would hate him? Would her love still be enough?

She didn't want her child to grow up in a hateful environment. Thankfully she had bled a week ago, so she wasn't with child yet. She hadn't shared a bed with her husband after their wedding night. At least he had kept his promise and told the servants to leave Ersa alone. All the servants had been very polite, although Minea had no doubt that they still hated her. Just like everyone else in Winterfell.

Thankfully she had learned to tolerate it. At first the dinners had been the worst part, but now people weren't rude to her anymore, they simply ignored her. Usually she exchanged few polite words with her husband and sometimes even with Lady Catelyn. Lord Jon was still the only person who spoke to her even when he wasn't forced to.

Unfortunately he was very busy, so she didn't see him often. She had spent a lot of time with Tyrion and Bronn, but now she would have to cope by herself. Fortunately Ersa would stay here with her, so she wouldn't be all alone. Yet she would miss her brother. Hopefully he would come and visit her when he could.

* * *

3 days later

Minea ate silently and listened to her husband and his mother talking about matters she knew nothing about. She had tried her best to learn and even dared to ask questions, but no one had been willing to teach her. Now when Tyrion wasn't here anymore she couldn't even go riding, so she had spent her days in the library. It wasn't nearly as big as the library in Casterly Rock, but she had learned a lot about the northern lords and their houses. Maybe it wasn't much, but it was a start.

She had also read about the Old Gods and Godswood. Of course she had read about them before, but now she felt that she truly understood how sacred place Godswood was here. She also believed that she understood why Lord Robb hadn't wanted to wed her there; he had told her father that he wanted a wedding ceremony in the Faith of the Seven. Godswood was a sacred place of his ancestors and he probably hadn't wanted to taint it by wedding her there. The thought should have probably hurt, but she was past that already. She was determined to find a way to survive here.

"Are you well, my lady?" her husband suddenly asked.

"Yes, my lord, thank you for asking," she replied, just like many times before. "And you?"

"Yes, I am fine."

She nodded, expecting the conversation to be over, but he glanced at her and continued.

"I would like to visit you later, if you are not too tired."

She froze when the meaning of his words hit her. He wanted to bed her tonight. She couldn't get a word out, all she felt was the lump in her throat. Yet she knew that she didn't have the right to refuse him.

"My lady?"

"Yes," she finally managed to say. "Yes…I…Yes."

"Alright, I shall see you later then."


	13. Family matters

**Chapter 12**

 **Family matters**

Minea ran her fingers softly over the books on the shelf. She had been staring at them for a while, unable to move. The library was quite dark although there were candles burning. Minea knew that she needed to go to her chamber; the maids had prepared her a bath. She needed to bathe before her husband would come. Yes, she knew all that, but her body refused to move.

The library felt like a safe place, she wanted to stay here. More like hide here. She truly was pathetic. The worst part was when she felt a tear rolling down her cheek. She hated herself for being so weak. Yet all she could think about was the pain, fear and humiliation. The smell of alcohol. She didn't want to endure it again. Unfortunately she didn't have a choice.

All she could do was try to numb herself and go somewhere else when her husband would use her body. She didn't want that. She didn't. The scared little voice at the back of her mind told her to run. She really wanted to slap herself for being so pathetic. All married women had to fulfill their duty, she didn't think that any of them enjoyed it. How could they enjoy being used like that?

Her septa had explained these things to her and advised her to be submissive. It would make the whole thing easier for her. The first time would be the worst, but she shouldn't expect that she would start to enjoy it after that. Women weren't meant to enjoy it. Not that she hoped to enjoy it, but she had hoped at least a little kindness instead of being treated like a whore. More tears streamed down her face. Stop it. Stupid, weak little girl.

"My lady?" a male voice suddenly said.

That startled her so badly that she jumped.

"Lord Jon," she murmured, trying quickly to dry her eyes.

His dark eyes observed her calmly.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you," he stated.

"That's alright," she replied, desperately trying to pull herself together.

"What brings you here in this hour?" he asked.

"I… I was looking for something to read," she managed to say. "How about you?"

"I'm not much of a reader, but I enjoy the peace and quiet," he replied. "There is usually no one here this late."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just leaving…"

"No need, you are not bothering me." He paused and crossed his arms. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," she murmured. "Thank you for asking, my lord."

He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Are you grieving for your nephew?"

"No, I… I barely knew him. Of course I feel bad for my sister, but…"

She had no idea how to continue and she didn't really want to have this conversation.

"I should go. I bid you good night, my lord."

"Wait," he sighed when she tried to walk past him. "Have something happened? With the servants or…"

"No. I… Everything is fine, my lord."

"Are you sure? You can talk to me, my lady; I will help you if I can."

"Why?" she asked tiredly. "Why would you want to help a Lannister?"

He pressed his lips together.

"Look… I know things haven't been easy for you and… I won't deny my loathing toward your family, but I don't loathe you, my lady. You haven't deserved to pay for everything your family has done."

She looked at him, suddenly feeling defiant.

"Should I also loathe my family? Is that the only way to earn my place here?"

Jon frowned. He was the only person who had shown her kindness here and Minea knew that she should stop talking. Yet she couldn't.

"I know that my family is hardly flawless, but they are still my family. My father is a harsh and I'm sure a cruel man, but he also offered me a safe place to grow up and he has never laid a hand on me. My sister has done bad things, but she wasn't always the person she is now. She was once a young woman who had hopes and dreams. My brother Jaime has never been anything but kind to me and my brother Tyrion has looked after me ever since I was a child. I don't really know Cersei's children, so I can't say anything about them."

She paused and straightened her back.

"I know that your family have suffered because of my family and I'm sorry, but I can't hate them. I have tried my best to be a good wife and I would like to be useful here, but I don't know how when no one wants me here. I'm sure you think I'm nothing but a spoiled girl who doesn't know anything about the real world and perhaps you're right. I do miss my home and the safety I felt there. I… I don't know if I'm strong enough."

A long silence followed her words. She swallowed, fearing that she had just angered the only person who could have maybe become her friend. Finally he spoke.

"Yes, you are right, my lady. My family has suffered a lot because of yours. But as I said, I don't loathe you. You have never wronged me in any way and I have no desire to wrong you."

"Thank you, my lord," she replied cautiously.

He nodded.

"As I said, I don't believe that you deserve to pay for everything your family has done, but I hope you can understand why some people might question your loyalty."

"I… I suppose so. I just don't know how I could prove myself."

"Well… I think time will help you with that. You have a kind heart, my lady, I believe in time people will see that."

She looked at him and dared to smile.

"Thank you, my lord. I believe you also have a kind heart."

"I don't know about that. War changes people. Robb for example was very different before the war."

Minea bowed her head.

"He was a very kind man," Jon continued. "He believed in justice and honor. He still does, but he's not the same man anymore."

Minea wasn't sure what to say.

"I hope that you can still find it in your heart to believe that he's not a monster."

"I don't think that he is," Minea replied quietly. "I just…"

"What?" Jon asked when she didn't continue.

A flush was rising in Minea's cheeks; she certainly wasn't comfortable talking about this with Lord Jon.

"I should go. He said that he will…visit me tonight."

"Oh…"

"Thank you for everything," Minea said sincerely and touched Lord Jon's shoulder. "You are a good man, my lord."

He cleared his throat.

"I didn't do anything."

"You did," she assured and curtsied. "Thank you."

She felt much calmer as she walked out of the library. She was ready to face her husband.


	14. Compatible

**Warning, mature content**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Compatible**

Robb stared at the door to his wife's bedchamber. He wasn't sure how long he had stood there, unable to raise his hand and knock. This was ridiculous. He needed to pull himself together and get this done before someone would see him standing here. He took a deep breath and knocked. It took a brief moment before the door opened.

"My lord," Minea's handmaiden greeted him rigidly and curtsied.

"Good evening," Robb replied calmly and entered Minea's chamber. Clearly she had been waiting for him; she was standing in front of the fireplace wearing a long white nightgown.

"My lord," she said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"Is there anything you need?" the handmaiden asked. The question was addressed to Minea who shook her head.

"No, thank you, Ersa."

The handmaiden seemed even more rigid as she looked at her lady.

"Good night, my lady. My lord," she added reluctantly.

"Good night, Ersa."

Robb pressed his lips together and looked at his wife when they were alone. It wasn't difficult to see how nervous she was as she walked over to the bed and waited for him to speak. He didn't. Usually he was never speechless, but right now he didn't have any words. This was something they both had to do, but it felt wrong. She was probably scared because of how he had treated her on their wedding night and he had no idea what to say to make things any better. Silently she undressed and lied down on her back. He swallowed, unable to move. This wasn't right; he really needed to say something.

"Shall I hide my face?" she asked after a long and awkward silence.

"No," he replied quickly. "No." He paused and took a deep breath before approaching the bed. "I realize you must be scared, but I can assure you that I have no intention to be cruel. I… I regret how I treated you on our wedding night and I apologize."

She looked at him cautiously and nodded.

"Thank you, my lord."

He nodded rigidly.

"I will try my best to spare you from any humiliation, but I'm sure you know this is something we must do."

She nodded.

"I do, my lord."

"Alright… Good. Shall we get started then?"

"Yes, my lord," she murmured, she wasn't looking at him.

He observed her body while undressing. She was very different than Talisa, she had smaller breasts and a paler skin, but she wasn't unpleasant to look at. His body reacted to her quickly, he was a man after all and it had been a long while since he had really been with a woman. He didn't remember much about their wedding night, he had been too drunk, but now he was completely sober. Well, almost completely. He had drunk couple of steins earlier, but he wasn't drunk. She was staring up at the ceiling, her body rigid when he joined her. Slowly he ran his fingers over her neck and noticed her trembling beneath his touch.

"It's alright," he stated, trying to sound calming. "Relax, my lady."

Carefully he pressed his lips against her neck and kept kissing her there until she didn't feel so tense anymore. Her skin felt soft and her scent was pleasant, he kept kissing and nibbling her as he trailed his lips down to her perky pink nipples. She was breathing faster and she let out an audible gasp when he sucked her breasts.

His hand caressed her stomach and hip before parting her thighs. This time he would make sure that her body was ready before he would enter her. She tensed when he started to move his fingers between her legs and circle her nub with his thumb. Clearly she was very sensitive here, just like most women. She was breathing faster and faster, but she didn't make a sound. If he wouldn't have known better, he would have thought that she was trying get away from him.

"Stop, please," she pleaded weakly.

He raised his head and looked at her.

"What is wrong?"

She was blinking her eyes rapidly and her bottom lip was bleeding.

"I… I am not refusing you, my lord, but I bid you not to…"

"What?"

She swallowed, her cheeks were bright red.

"You… You said that you wouldn't…"

"Yes?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"I bid you not to humiliate me," she murmured. "Please."

His eyes widened.

"What? No, that's not what I was doing. I was trying to give you pleasure."

She blinked, looking very confused.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No, but… I…"

He realized that she had probably never felt pleasure before and she couldn't understand it.

"There is no reason to be embarrassed," he assured. "Just relax, my lady."

He couldn't help but to think how much easier everything had been with Talisa. She had loved him and trusted him. He had loved the sound of her moans when he had given her pleasure. Of course he didn't have to give Minea pleasure, he could simply take her and get it over with, but he didn't want to do that. He didn't want her to fear his visits to her chamber. Perhaps there wasn't much affection between them, at least not yet, but this was something he wanted to do right. She would bear his children, so this was the least he could do for her.

"Relax," he hummed and kissed her neck while sliding his hand between her legs again. "Relax…"

Determinedly he continued searching for all her most sensitive spots. She was already wet and she trembled, but she still didn't make a sound.

"Don't hold back," he whispered in her ear. "It's alright."

Finally she let out a moan when he found a perfect spot. He kept stimulating it while pumping his fingers in and out of her wet softness. She cried out when she got her release, her whole body was trembling. He didn't give her much time to recover, she gasped when he pushed himself inside of her. Her folds felt soft as silk; slowly he buried himself inside her. Obviously she wasn't a maiden anymore, but she was just as tight as one. The most wonderful part was that her body was yielding to him completely, she felt perfect.

"Move with me," he groaned as he thrust deeper into her.

She hesitated before meeting his thrusts.

"That's very good, keep moving your hips."

She was a quick learner, she followed his rhythm as his thrusts were becoming faster and harder. The sound of her moans was getting louder, she most certainly wasn't holding back anymore. Hearing her pleasure gave him satisfaction. At least they were in some way compatible.


	15. Affection

**Warning, mature content**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 **Affection**

8 days later

Minea was breathing rapidly as she lied on her back under her husband, trying her best to keep up with him. He panted as he kept pumping in and out of her, faster and faster. He had been very impatient tonight; they had barely spoken a word before he had pushed her on the bed. His eyes were shut and the expression on his face was almost painful as he groaned with pleasure.

Closing her eyes, Minea laid her head back and let out a moan when he hit her special spot. She loved it when he touched it with his fingers, as he always did before taking her. He had come to her chamber almost every night this week and she had found herself looking forward to his visits. The act hadn't been anything like on their wedding night; he had made sure that she enjoyed it.

When he had touched her most private place for the first time, she had been too nervous and embarrassed to enjoy it, but now she did. She loved they way his fingers made her feel. Apparently her septa had been wrong, women could enjoy it. That depended on a man she supposed and it seemed that she had been lucky enough to have a husband who wanted her to enjoy it.

"Wrap your legs around me," he groaned.

She obeyed and moaned louder as he pushed into her faster and harder. Her skin was slick with sweat, he lasted longer than her septa had told her to expect. Some nights he took her twice or even three times, if she wasn't too exhausted. Usually she was more than exhausted after he was finished. It was strange how much sharing a bed could change things.

At least she wasn't invisible to him anymore. She tilted her head back and cried out as she spasmed tightly around him. He groaned, spilling his seed into her. After that they were both panting and he rolled on his back beside her. They lied there silently for a while, trying to catch their breath.

"Everything alright?" he murmured after a moment of silence.

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. "

She bit her bottom lip, knowing what would happen next. He would get up and leave. He had never slept in her chamber or held her afterwards. Not that he would have been cruel or rough, but she was hoping for a little more intimacy. She didn't want to be just some object he used to fulfill his needs.

"My lord?" she said softly and moved closer to him.

"Hmm?"

"I'm a little cold."

He glanced at her and for a moment she thought that he was going to wrap his arm around her. He didn't. Instead he got up and added wood in the fireplace before starting to get dressed.

"I'm afraid I must go now," he stated. "Good night, my lady, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, my lord," she murmured, feeling rejected. Apparently she had served her purpose for tonight. What she couldn't understand was why this bothered her. Her husband had been very polite to her and he hadn't mistreated her. What more did she want? Affection. She hoped that he would somehow show her that she wasn't completely meaningless to him.

What hurt her most was the fact that he had never kissed her on the lips. She had tried to kiss him once, but he had turned his head away. Bedding her seemed to be fine, as long as it wasn't too intimate. After he had left, she curled up into a fetal position and hugged herself. For some reason she was feeling emotional tonight. She felt the need to cry. What was wrong with her? She needed to pull herself together. Slowly she got up, washed herself and wore a nightgown. Ersa arrived shortly after she had finished washing herself.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" she asked.

Minea smiled and nodded.

"Yes, everything went well."

Unfortunately Ersa knew her better than anyone, she could tell when something was bothering Minea.

"Are you sure, my lady? Did he do something…?"

"No, no, he didn't." She paused and sighed. "I… I feel very foolish, but… I would like something more than the act. That's foolish, isn't it?"

"No, my lady, it's not," Ersa replied firmly. "Unfortunately men can be harsh, especially these northern men. I'm afraid we can't expect too much from them."

"I suppose you're right. He needs an heir and it's my duty to give him one."

She wondered if that was the only reason why her husband came to her chamber. Did she mean anything to him? He did speak to her more at the dinner table now and his mother had even explained her some things about running Winterfell. Things were a little better now, so she really didn't have any reason to complain. Ersa was right, she shouldn't expect too much from her husband. Things could have been much worse.

* * *

3 days later

Robb tried his best to concentrate on the papers he needed to read, but he felt tense and restless. He had been so busy that he had barely had time to sleep, not to mention visit his wife. That was the reason why he was so tense. After losing Talisa, he had lived in celibacy for a long while. Just the thought of touching some other woman had felt unbearable. A horrible betrayal. How could he ever taint Talisa's memory like that?

He still felt guilty every time he slept with his wife. Yes, he needed an heir, but he felt guilty for enjoying it. He had tried his best to keep his distance, at least emotionally. His wife would give birth to his son, but she couldn't mean anything more to him. How could anyone ever replace Talisa? She had been the perfect woman. The only woman for him.

Yet his traitorous body yarned for Lady Minea. He needed to have her. That was all he could think about right now, he couldn't concentrate on anything else. Unfortunately he wouldn't have time to visit her tonight. However, he did have a moment right now. He called for a servant and told him to find his wife. Thankfully she arrived soon.

"You wanted to see me, my lord?"

"Yes," he replied and marched to the door.

Lady Minea looked confused when he locked the door.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to visit you tonight, but I have a moment right now."

Her eyes widened when he swept her into his arms and lifted her on the edge of the table.

"My lord…"

"This won't take long," he murmured, starting to kiss her neck. He slid his hands down her back and cupped her bottom, squeezing it.

"My lord, I don't…"

He barely heard her, he was too busy lifting the hem of her dress and undoing his belt.

"My lord, stop."

He was still too occupied to hear her; they had time to talk later. His hand was already between her legs, he only wanted to get inside of her.

"Stop… Stop!"

His eyes widened when she pushed him and jumped to her feet.

"My lady…"

"I am your wife," she stated angrily. "Not a common whore."

He didn't have time to say anything when she marched out, leaving him completely stunned.


	16. The good wife

**Chapter 15**

 **The good wife**

Minea walked tensely towards her chamber, she was struggling to look calm. The last thing she wanted was some unpleasant rumors. She couldn't let anyone see how upset she was. All she wanted was a moment alone. She needed to calm down and pull herself together. Unfortunately she didn't have a moment.

"My lady," her husband's voice called, forcing her to stop. Reluctantly she turned to face him. He certainly didn't look pleased.

"May I have a word with you?" he stated coolly.

"Of course, my lord," she murmured.

He led them to the library and closed the door behind them. She swallowed, feeling fear. Was he going to strike her down for disobeying him?

"Tell me something," he started. "What are the duties of a good wife?"

"My lord…"

"Answer my question. What are the duties of a good wife?"

"Loyalty," she replied quietly. "Respect. Obedience."

"Yes. Would you say that you were obedient a moment ago?"

"I…"

"No, I don't think that you were. You refused me my right to have an heir."

"That was not my intention."

He crossed his arms and looked at her harshly.

"What was your intention then?"

She straightened her back and looked at him.

"I believe I also have the right to ask respect from you, my lord. I am your wife and…"

"You feel I have mistreated you? Have I been violent? Cruel?"

"No, you haven't, but…"

"From now on I expect you to fulfill your duty as my wife. Am I making myself clear?"

She forced herself to look at him, although she felt humiliated. Clearly she wasn't anything more than a breeding mare to him.

"Yes," she stated, keeping her voice free from emotion.

"Good. I will see you at dinner."

Thankfully he left without demanding her to fulfill her "duty" right away. Apparently she was supposed to allow him to take her body whenever and wherever he felt like it. The thought was nothing but humiliating. He demanded respect and obedience from her, but he treated her like she would have been nothing more than his whore.

How could she change that? She couldn't force him to care about her or even respect her. How could she…? Her thoughts were cut off by a sneeze from behind the shelves. She froze, there was someone else here. Someone had heard every word. A flush was rising in her cheeks, she was mortified.

"My lady," Lord Jon's voice said as he appeared from behind the shelves. "Please forgive me, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was looking for a book and… Forgive me."

"That's alright," Minea murmured, she couldn't face him. "Excuse me."

She left the room as quickly as she could, praying that he would be discreet. She had experienced enough humiliation for one day.

* * *

Jon closed his eyes and sighed after Lady Minea had left. He felt like an idiot, he should have said something right away. He should have let her and Robb know that he was here. Why hadn't he then? He wasn't completely sure. The whole thing had happened so fast and he hadn't wanted to embarrass Lady Minea. That was exactly what he had done now. She probably thought that he had done the whole thing on purpose.

Poor girl. Robb had been way too harsh on her. Granted, Jon didn't know what exactly had happened between them, but he could guess. He wanted to talk to Robb, but he wasn't sure at all if that would be a good idea. This was a private matter between a husband and a wife. Yet he couldn't help but to feel sorry for Lady Minea. Robb could at least pretend that he cared. Surely that would have meant a lot to his wife.

Jon didn't like seeing that lost and hurt look on her face. There was something very fragile about her, probably because she had lived such a sheltered life. She was too delicate for her own good, but yet many men would probably feel protective of her. Jon couldn't deny that he was one of those men. He felt sympathy for her.

Surely she would eventually adjust to her life here, but should she really have to become cold and harsh in order to survive? Robb had become cold and harsh after Talisa's death, but Jon had hoped that the change wouldn't be permanent. He had hoped that Robb would one day love someone again. Or at least care about someone. Tywin Lannister's daughter didn't have the best chances to soften Robb's heart, but hopefully Robb would eventually see past her name. She was a sweet girl who could no doubt make Robb happy, if he would give her a chance.

* * *

Catelyn sat at the dinner table next to his son who had given her his undivided attention. Robb had barely greeted his wife who sat at his other side, silently eating her dinner. It seemed that the girl had somehow angered him. Catelyn couldn't help but to feel some kind of malicious delight. She had tried her hardest to tolerate her son's wife, but every time she looked at her, she saw her daughter.

Her innocent little girl who was dead now, just like her beloved husband. All because of the Lannisters. And this girl, a Lannister, would one day be the Lady of Winterfell. She would give birth to Robb's children, Catelyn's grandchildren. The thought filled Catelyn with bitterness. This girl didn't deserve to be here. She didn't deserve to be called her son's wife.

A part of Catelyn knew that the girl hadn't been the one who had tormented Sansa or murdered Ned, but she was still a Lannister and Catelyn hated her. Was that fair, perhaps not, but it was the way she felt. She would be polite when she had to and she would teach the girl when Robb wanted her to, but she doubted that she could ever stop hating her. To her all Lannisters were like poisonous snakes and she would have liked nothing more than to see them all dead.


	17. Conflicts

**Chapter 16**

 **Conflicts**

Robb looked at Talisa's tomb in the dim light of few torches hanging on the walls. He was a little drunk, although he hadn't meant to drink so much at dinner. He simply hadn't been able to face his wife. On the other hand he had been annoyed by her rejection, but he had also understood how foolishly he had acted. Like a spoiled child.

Unfortunately she wasn't a toy; he couldn't play with her whenever he felt like it. Why not? She was his wife; he had every right to ask her to fulfill her marital duties. He had made sure that she enjoyed it; he hadn't been rough or forceful. What more did she want from him? Poetry? Declarations of love? Love… His eyes watered up as he touched the marble statue of Talisa.

"I miss you so much, my love," he murmured. "Can you ever forgive me for betraying you?"

The cold marble stayed quiet. It offered him neither solace nor judgment.

"Things shouldn't be like this. You should be here with me. Our son or daughter should be here. Maybe he or she would have a sibling already. Why can't you be here?"

Again the only answer he got was silence. He would never hear Talisa's voice again. He would never hold her again and feel her warmth. He would never see the love in her eyes again. Wine. He needed more wine. He needed to numb his pain before it would destroy him. Or maybe it already had. He couldn't feel the warmth anymore, only cold. He was nothing but a shell of the man he had used to be.

How could he give his new wife what she wanted? He wasn't blind; obviously he had noticed what she hoped from him. She wanted what he had given to Talisa. How could he give that to anyone else? He couldn't. He had never wanted a new wife. No, but he still had a wife and he was very much attracted to her, at least physically. He had betrayed Talisa. The conflict in his head was driving him mad. He was too drunk. No. He wasn't drunk enough. That was something he needed to fix right now.

* * *

Minea flinched when something startled her out of a deep sleep. She blinked sleepily, but she was fully awake immediately when she saw her husband hovering over her. His fingers were caressing her cheek.

"My lord…"

"Stay there," he murmured. "You look so very… warm lying there."

He was drunk. Very drunk. She swallowed, trying desperately to stay calm. She didn't really succeed. Carefully she tried to get up, but he placed his hand on her shoulder, laying her flat on her back.

"Stay there," he repeated. This time he wasn't asking, he was demanding.

Her heart was beating like a drum and her mind warned her not to aggravate him.

"Sure," she said, forcing a smile on her face. "What brings you here, my lord?"

He didn't reply, he simply kept staring at her and running his fingers over her face.

"Such a pretty girl you are," he murmured. "Why do you have to be so pretty? So very…seductive."

She swallowed, trying to stop herself from trembling.

"This would be easier if you would be ugly," he continued. "This lust I feel for you… I don't want to feel it."

She didn't say anything; it seemed that he was talking more to himself than to her.

"You see what you've made me do? I've betrayed Talisa." He paused and grabbed her chin. "Does that make you happy? Do you enjoy my misery?"

"No, my lord," she replied quietly.

"I think you do," he snorted. "Why else would you be here?"

She wanted to tell him that she didn't want to be here, but she had enough survival instinct to stay quiet when he was like this. Who knew what he would do to her.

"Perhaps you should go to sleep, my lord," she said as calmly as she could. "We can talk more in the morning."

His lips curved into a joyless smile.

"I don't want to talk. I want what you denied from me."

"It's very late, my lord," she murmured tensely. "I'm tired."

"Of course you are," he snorted. "You think you can control me by closing your legs? Are you trying to manipulate me?"

"No, my lord, I simply ask you to come back tomorrow."

His eyes darkened and for a moment she was sure that he was going to hit her. He didn't. He got up and almost lost his balance.

"You… You did this to me. You made me betray Talisa."

Minea got up as well and backed away when her husband started shouting at her. He threw a table against the wall and cursed before falling on his knees. He was a mess.

"Talisa…" he murmured.

Minea hesitated before approaching him. Maybe she should have escaped, but something was stopping her. The pain in his eyes. Despite everything, she felt sympathy for him. Cautiously she knelt beside him and touched his shoulder. His reaction startled her; he grabbed her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, leaning his head on her shoulder.

"Talisa…"

"It's alright," she murmured.

He pressed her tightly against his chest and buried his face in her hair.

"My love… Stay with me."

She tried her best to calm him by rubbing his back. He was about to pass out.

"My lady?" Lord Jon's voice said from the door. "Is everything alright? Your handmaiden came to see me and…"

"It's good you are here, my lord," Minea cut in. She couldn't move, her husband held her so tightly that it was painful. "I think my husband needs to lie down, could you help?"

"Yes, of course."

She heard Lord Jon's footsteps as he approached them.

"Robb? Robb?"

There was no answer; Minea could tell that her husband was almost asleep.

"Alright… Let's get you to bed," Lord Jon stated.

He tried to lift his brother, but Lord Robb tightened his embrace.

"No… Talisa stays with me."

"I'm right here," Minea said calmingly and continued rubbing his back. "Please, let me help you."

Together she and Lord Jon managed to get Robb to his feet and guide him to Minea's bed. He fell asleep almost immediately.

"Are you alright?" Lord Jon asked.

Minea nodded.

"Thank you for your help."

"No need to thank me."

Minea felt exhausted as she pulled a blanket over her husband.

"He really loves Talisa," she murmured.

Lord Jon didn't say anything, but he touched her shoulder. She appreciated his gesture as well as his help. She felt that she had at least one friend here.


	18. Cripples and broken things

**Chapter 17**

 **Cripples and broken things**

King's Landing, 2 weeks later

Jaime sat in the garden, silently staring in front of him. He had no idea how long he had sat there. It didn't matter. Right now he only wanted to be by himself. He needed time to gather his thoughts after everything that had happened. His son was dead. Cersei was devastated. Jaime had tried his best to comfort her, but she didn't want him near her. She only wanted to find the person who had poisoned Joffrey.

Of course Jaime wanted that as well, but he had realized something after his son's death. He didn't grieve for Joffrey the way a father should. He wasn't nearly as devastated as Cersei. He didn't feel much anything. What was wrong with him? What kind of a man was he? The truth was that he had noticed there was something wrong with Joffrey when the boy had been just a child. His cruel and downright sadistic nature had always bothered Jaime, but he had tried his best to ignore it.

Cersei had always adored Joffrey and she had ignored all Jaime's attempts to talk about the boy's cruelty. To Cersei Joffrey had been nothing but perfect, she had refused to see any of his flaws. Jaime had seen them and he had feared for all Joffrey's subjects. The memory of the Mad King was still very clear in his mind. Deep down, he had known that Joffrey's reign wouldn't last for long, not unless someone could control the boy's nature.

Yet at the same time he had been deeply ashamed by such thoughts. What kind of a father was he? He had tried his hardest to teach the boy, but he had failed. Joffrey hadn't cared about anything he had to say. Perhaps a son like Joffrey had been Jaime's punishment from the Gods. He had thought about that many times. To him his love for Cersei had always been pure and unconditional, but perhaps the Gods disagreed.

Yet they had blessed Jaime with Tommen and Myrcella. There was nothing cruel about those children. Jaime sighed and buried his face in his hands. Feeling his golden hand against his skin startled him for a moment. Once again he had forgotten the damn thing. He hated it. He was only half of a man without his sword hand. A master swordsman had always been an important part of who he was. Now he was a pathetic cripple.

"Good evening, brother," Tyrion's voice suddenly said.

Jaime tried his best to look calm as he raised his head.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Tyrion continued.

"Go ahead," Jaime murmured gloomily.

Tyrion sat on the stone bench beside Jaime. They were both quiet for a while.

"How is Minea?" Jaime asked, as the thought suddenly crossed his mind.

Tyrion had returned from the North few days ago, but Jaime hadn't really had time to talk with him.

"What do you think?" Tyrion sighed. "Those people hate us."

Jaime frowned.

"Were they disrespectful?"

"That's an understatement," Tyrion replied tensely. "She didn't exactly receive a warm welcome. The wedding was dreadful."

"Did you tell father?"

"I did. He only wanted to know is she with child yet."

Jaime sighed and shook his head.

"She shouldn't have been sent there. She's just a child."

"She's 17," Tyrion pointed out.

"Really? I thought she's younger."

"Me too," Tyrion sighed. "To me she's still my lion cub."

"I regret for not spending more time with her," Jaime muttered. "She's my little sister; I should have gotten to know her better."

"It was father's choice to keep her in Casterly Rock," Tyrion stated. "I think that was a mistake, he should have let her see the world. Offer her a chance to become more confident."

"I agree," Jaime replied. "She was always in the library when I went to visit her." He paused and smiled. "She was a cute little bookworm though."

"Yes, she was."

They were both quiet again, Jaime noticed Tyrion looking at his golden hand.

"How are you doing?" Tyrion asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm not sure," Jaime replied truthfully.

"I'm sorry for Joffrey."

"Thank you."

"Tommen seems to be doing well."

"Yes, he's a good boy. I'm very proud of him."

"As you should be," Tyrion replied and grinned. "He seems to be very attached to his future queen."

"Yes, he is."

Cersei couldn't stand Margaery Tyrell, but Jaime had nothing against her. The woman was clearly ambitious, but she wasn't malevolent. Jaime was pretty sure that she would be a good queen and a good wife for Tommen. Hopefully Cersei would eventually see that.

"And how is our sister doing?" Tyrion asked.

"She's grieving for her son," Jaime murmured. "As you can imagine."

"Yes."

Jaime was aware that Tyrion hadn't liked Joffrey.

"Thankfully she has you to comfort her," Tyrion continued, keeping his voice neutral.

"She doesn't want or need my company," Jaime murmured. "She made that more than clear."

"Oh. What are you planning to do then?"

"I have no idea," Jaime sighed and glanced at his golden hand. Once again he felt anger and bitterness. He was completely useless.

"You know," Tyrion started. "I have a suggestion."

"Do tell," Jaime snorted.

"I think traveling could do you good."

Jaime frowned.

"What? Where would I possibly want to travel?"

"To North. I think Minea would appreciate your company."

"I can't leave King's Landing, Tommen…"

"…is doing well," Tyrion finished. "He has all the help he needs, including me. And as you said, Cersei doesn't want your company at the moment."

"There's still the matter of finding Joffrey's murderer."

"We will," Tyrion assured. "I have no doubt that father will take care of that."

"I don't know…"

"I think you need this, Jaime," Tyrion assured firmly. "And our sister needs you."

The thought of the sweet little girl and her books melted Jaime's heart. Maybe this was a chance for him to actually be useful to someone.


	19. Her smile

**Chapter 18**

 **Her smile**

Robb felt exhausted as he made his way to the Godswood. He had barely slept in days. It had been two weeks since he had acted like a fool and passed out on his wife's bed. He had barely spoken to her after that, he had been too embarrassed. He remembered calling her Talisa. He had thought that she was Talisa. He had still thought that when he had woken up beside her. For that brief moment he had been happy.

Then he had seen his wife's light auburn hair spread out across the pillow. She had slept soundly and he had watched her for a long while. She had looked fragile, peaceful and so damned beautiful with her full lips, her sleep-pinked cheeks and her soft supple curves. He had wanted nothing more than to remove her nightgown and touch her creamy white breasts. Brush the tips of his fingers across first one rosy pink nipple and then the other, making them respond, tightening into firm buds, begging to be tasted. And he would have tasted them, making her moan with pleasure.

He had thought about a dozen different ways to take her. Claim her beautiful body as his. The lust he felt for her hadn't disappeared. It made him feel guilt, shame, desperation, remorse, self-loathing and many other things. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Perhaps a moment alone in the sacred place would give him some clarity.

Silently he walked towards the Heart tree when he suddenly heard something. A female voice, she was laughing. He frowned and followed the sound. What he saw surprised him completely. Lady Minea was playing with Ghost and Grey Wind, the wolves were chasing her. She laughed as they jumped against her, waving their tales. Robb realized that he had never before heard her laughing. He stared at his wife until he heard Jon's voice.

"Careful! No jumping!"

"It's alright," Lady Minea assured smiling as she petted the wolves. "I don't mind."

"They can be rough sometimes, even if they don't mean it."

She looked up and smiled at Jon.

"I really don't mind. I love being here with them."

"I'm glad to hear that, but please be careful, my lady. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Her smile grew wider.

"I'm grateful for your concern, my lord. You have been a wonderful friend. Thank you."

"You're welcome, my lady. I'm glad if I have been able to help."

"You have. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Robb stared at his wife and Jon disbelievingly. He felt a nasty lump in his throat. Since when had they been friends? Were they more than friends? How dared Jon betray him like this? How dared Minea be here alone with Jon? That was more than inappropriate for a married woman. She was Robb's wife and yet she was acting like some…some…

He bit his bottom lip and looked at her. She looked happy. There was no sign of distress, fear or hurt. Her smile made her even more beautiful. She had never smiled at him like that. Why would she have? Had he ever given her any reason to smile? No, he hadn't, on the contrary. He had given her several reasons to hate him. That was probably the way she felt.

And now as he looked at her, he only felt one thing. Jealousy. That was just great. He truly was a despicable man for betraying Talisa like this. But was he really betraying her? She would always have a place in his heart, but did that really mean that he couldn't act like a decent husband toward his new wife? Well, he certainly hadn't done that so far. Was it too late to change that now?

Maybe. It was more than possible that she already hated him. Maybe, but she was still his wife. He had once been a good man, an honorable man. That man had been gone for a long time, but perhaps there was still something left of him. At least he hoped so.

* * *

Minea was smiling as she headed to her chamber in order to get changed before the dinner. She had enjoyed the walk in the woods very much; Jon had been kind enough to escort her. He truly was a good man, she considered him her closest friend, besides Ersa of course. He would make some woman very happy. Of course she wished him to be happy, but she had to admit that she would be sad to lose him.

Obviously he wouldn't have so much time for her anymore after he would find himself a wife. Minea knew it was foolish to lean on him so much, but he had been there for her ever since she had arrived here. He had helped her when no one else had. For that she would always be grateful and she hoped she would be able to repay him somehow.

If only there would be more men like him. Her husband hadn't come to her chamber after his visit two weeks ago and she hadn't missed him. That night had made her understood that she would never be anything to him. Nothing but a pale copy of Talisa. She wasn't going get his affection, not to mention his love. It hurt, but she didn't have much choice but to accept it. His heart would always belong to someone else. She sighed while opening the door to her chamber.

"Ersa?"

"She's not here," a quiet but firm male voice said.

Minea startled and turned quickly to look at her husband. He was standing in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed.

"My lord… Good evening."

"Close the door, my lady," he stated calmly. "You and I need to talk."


	20. Walls

**Chapter 19**

 **Walls**

Minea tried her best to stay calm as she looked at her husband. His gloomy face made her very nervous, she couldn't help but to wonder how she had displeased him this time.

"What can I do for you, my lord?" she asked cautiously.

He cleared his throat and glanced at the small table beside her bed. She noticed a wine bottle and two goblets.

"Drink?" he asked.

She was about to say no, but then she realized the obvious reason why he was here. He wanted to bed her. She suppressed a sigh, knowing that she couldn't refuse him. A drink started to sound like a good idea.

"Yes, please, my lord."

He poured wine into both goblets and handed her the other one.

"Thank you."

"Please," he said and gestured towards the bed. "Take a seat."

She did as she was told and emptied her goblet. Maybe she couldn't turn him down, but she wasn't going to pretend that she was looking forward to this. She no longer hoped anything from him; she had accepted their marriage the way it was. A duty. He had made it clear what he wanted from her; her body as his enjoyment and giving birth to his heir.

Her thoughts and feelings were meaningless to him. Fine. She wasn't going to let him take her dignity. Silently he sat beside her, keeping a small distance between them. Neither of them spoke, she didn't have anything to say to him. He kept his eyes on his goblet and took a small sip.

"My lady…" he finally started. "I… I'm not sure where to start."

"Would you like me to undress?" she asked coolly.

"No," he murmured. "I don't."

"I see. Shall I just lift my hem then?"

"No." He paused and took a deep breath. "I realize you probably hate me and I can't really blame you for that."

His words surprised her so much that she turned to look at him.

"I beg your pardon?"

He shook his head.

"No, I'm the one who should say that. I haven't treated you well, not like a decent man should treat his wife."

Minea didn't know what to say, she was stunned.

"I have no excuse for my behavior," he continued. "You didn't deserve that."

She was still speechless; all she could do was stare at him.

"I don't know if I can fix what I have broken, but I want to apologize. You have been a good wife."

"Thank you, my lord," she finally managed to say.

"I would like you to call me Robb."

"You don't find that too intimate?" she required sharply before she managed to stop herself. He had never addressed her by her first name without any title, so she hadn't done that either. Another way for him to keep the distance between them.

"I suppose I deserved that," he stated after a moment of silence. "You and I have been a husband and a wife for a while now; I realize we should have had this conversation a long time ago."

She observed him for a moment before replying.

"What has changed? If you don't mind me asking."

He looked at his goblet again and took a long gulp.

"I have understood some things," he murmured. "Perhaps too late. As I said, I don't blame you for hating me."

"I don't hate you," she replied after a moment of silence.

"I'm guessing you don't like me much either."

She wasn't sure what to say, the whole thing felt unreal.

"Does that matter to you?" she asked quietly.

"Aye. I would like to know do I have any chance to fix things."

"What do you mean?"

He pressed his lips together and moved a little closer to her.

"I want to be a better husband to you. The way I have acted… I have brought shame to my father and… Talisa. She was a good woman and I know she would have never married the man I have become."

Minea heard the pain in his voice and she couldn't help but to feel sympathy.

"You love her very much."

"Aye. When I lost her and our child, I had no will to live. I wanted to die with them."

Minea bowed her head.

"I'm deeply sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. I'm not trying to justify my behavior, I'm only asking you to give me a chance. I… I can be better. I want to be better."

Minea thought about his words, they were almost too good to be true.

"You want us to…start over?"

He bit his bottom lip.

"Obviously I can't ask you to simply forget everything, but I was hoping that we could… try to build a better marriage. I don't want you to be unhappy."

"I don't want you to be unhappy either, my lord," she murmured.

"Please, Robb."

"Robb…"

It felt strange to say his name after all this time. Like a wall would have been lifted between them with that one word. Well, at least one wall. There were more of them, but this was a start. She still wasn't sure did she dare to hope. Could they really build a better marriage? Could they… She didn't have time to finish her thoughts when he suddenly leaned forward.

"Minea," he murmured before his lips touched hers and his hands gripped her arms. She was too stunned to react; this was a completely new experience to her. Her first kiss. His lips felt surprisingly soft as he slowly tasted every part of hers. He licked over her lips with his tongue and as they parted he turned his head, controlling the kiss with experimental passion.

He tasted like wine and something else she couldn't recognize. She felt his hand at the back of her head, his tongue pushing against hers. The new sensations were sizzling through her senses when he suddenly stopped and pulled away. She blinked and looked at him in wonder. He smiled and kissed her hand before standing up.

"I will see you soon at dinner, my wife."


	21. Like a prayer

**Warning, mature content**

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **Like a prayer**

5 days later

Jon sat at the dinner table and looked at Robb and Minea. She smiled as Robb leaned towards her and whispered something in her ear. He had done that a lot during the last few days, touched her hand or hair, smiled at her, talked to her, paid attention to her. Clearly she was very happy about this change. Of course Jon was happy as well, but… But what? He was still concerned, he couldn't help it.

He felt very protective of Lady Minea and he didn't want her to get hurt. Obviously he wasn't the one who needed to take care of her wellbeing, but he had in fact been the one who had done that ever since she had arrived here. She was a very sweet young woman and he couldn't deny that he was fond of her. Hopefully Robb truly understood his mistakes and had learned from them. His wife certainly didn't deserve to be mistreated.

Jon glanced at Catelyn and noticed that she seemed tense. Robb had wanted her to teach Minea and she had, but Jon suspected that she wasn't very happy about that. If only she could see past Minea's family. Hopefully that would eventually happen. Jon left the dining hall as soon as he had finished his dinner; he was planning to go to the stables to check on his horse. Poor animal had seemed unwell earlier and Jon had asked the stable boys to keep an eye on the horse. As soon as Jon entered the stable, he noticed Arya. She was cleaning her sword.

"Hello," Jon greeted her. "I didn't see you at dinner."

"I wasn't hungry," she replied coolly.

"Are you unwell?"

"You could say that," she snorted. "I didn't feel like watching my brother with that woman."

"You mean his wife?"

Arya didn't reply, she simply pressed her lips together.

"Arya," Jon started gently. "I know how you feel…"

"You don't know anything," she hissed and finally looked at him. "You weren't there when father was murdered."

"No, I wasn't," Jon replied quietly. "I'm truly sorry for that, I know I should have been there. I should have protected you and Sansa."

"Instead you're protecting _her,_ " Arya snapped. "Why?"

"She's a good person," Jon replied as calmly as he could. "She hasn't harmed you or any of us…"

"Are you sleeping with her?" Arya cut in.

Jon's eyes widened.

"What?"

"You are, aren't you? That's why you're so eager to defend her."

"No! That's ridiculous."

"Is it? She's a Lannister, I think we all know what they're capable of. I bet her sister taught her how to use men…"

"That's enough, Arya," Jon said firmly. "You are talking about Robb's wife."

"I'm talking about a Lannister!" she shouted. "I swore to punish them for their crimes and I failed! They all deserve to die!"

"Arya…"

Jon sighed as she stormed out. His heart ached to see her in so much pain. He remembered the little girl who had left Winterfell all those years ago. That girl was gone now. He couldn't even imagine everything Arya had been through after escaping King's Landing. She had been forced to grow up too early. She had been forced to kill in order to survive.

When Jon and Robb had finally found her, she hadn't been a little girl anymore. She had been a broken young woman who had experienced more than any girl ever should. Her family had failed to protect her and Jon would always feel guilty for that.

* * *

Robb licked his lips as he looked at his naked wife. She was lying on the bed, smiling at him.

"Are you sure you are ready?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded, looking a little shy. Thank goodness, the wait had been torture. Yet he hadn't pressured her, he wanted to do this right this time. He wanted to show her that he was serious. This night would be all about her and her needs. There would be no more holding back. Quickly he undressed, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

Her cheeks were red and she was breathing fast as his gaze roved over her. She truly was beautiful. Slender and compact, her breasts soft, pink nipples tight and hard. Like a treat. A very special treat, meant only for him. Letting his gaze move lower, he tracked the pale perfection of her flat stomach, the smooth thighs and then the sweet, lush mound between them. He wanted to touch her all at once. Taste her all at once.

He was already hard as he lowered his body alongside hers. His tongue licked over her nipples before he drew one into his mouth and sucked at it hungrily. The tight little bud grew harder between his lips before he moved to the other. He loved her breasts and he loved sucking them with delicate sips of his lips, then with the rougher draws of his mouth. Right now he only wanted to pleasure her and clearly he succeeded.

She writhed and moaned beneath him, her hands spearing into his hair. As he finally drew back, gazing down at her, he knew what he wanted to do next. He wanted to claim her completely. Show her pure pleasure. She was breathing faster as his tongue kissed and licked over her stomach. Pressing her legs apart, he watched her face as he moved between her legs and his tongue tasted her. Her eyes widened and she gasped in shock. He had never done this with her before, it had felt too intimate. Right now he wanted them to be as intimate as possible.

"Ro-Robb…. What are you…?"

"It's alright," he assured calmingly and stroked her thigh. "Relax."

Her nub peaked out from the glistening folds; it tempted his lips and his tongue. He knew that it was the source of her pleasure. Touching it the right way drove women mad with lust. That was exactly what he wanted; make her cry out his name. He let his tongue circle the magical little nub before he licked over it, flicking his tongue against it as she jerked and shuddered in pleasure under him.

Shattered little moans tore from her lips as she panted for air beneath the lash of his tongue. Drawing the tight nub into his mouth, he sucked it gently but firmly. That made his sweet wife wild, she cried out as she bucked beneath the caress, her hips arching and her hands burying in his hair. With his hands beneath her knees, he lifted her legs higher over his shoulders. It left her completely open and defenseless to him.

His tongue moved lower, thrusting into her. Her juices spilled against his tongue as her tender muscles clenched around the invader. She was whimpering desperately, her whole body was trembling. He had never seen her losing all control so completely and he couldn't deny that he loved it. Taking her with his tongue made him feel that she truly belonged to him.

As she was reaching her peek, he kept licking her, pushing her even higher. Her cries turned into desperate pleas as her body tightened. Finally he let her fall. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. As she fought to catch her breath, he climbed on top of her. A weak whimper passed her lips as his member touched her tender entrance.

"My beautiful Minea," he groaned as he bent above her, his lips tasting hers as he thrust into her. She felt damn good, he had missed this. She tilted her head back and moaned as he build up a steady pace. Yet he kept his thrusts gentle, her pleasure and comfort came first. This night was all about her.

"Minea," he groaned and touched her face. "Look at me."

She obeyed and he saw that her gaze was heavy lidded.

"You are beautiful."

She blinked her dark green eyes few times and smiled.

"Thank you."

He captured her mouth as he kept thrusting into her a little faster. He was surprised when he felt her wrapping her legs around his waist. She met his thrusts more eagerly than ever before and he wanted to see her reaching her peak again.

"Show me what feels good," he groaned.

She moaned and dug her nails into his shoulders as his thrusts were getting rougher.

"You like this?"

She panted and nodded.

"Say it," he demanded.

"I…I like this," she panted.

She cried out as he hit her sweet spot.

"Robb…"

He liked the way she said his name, it sounded like a prayer. She was almost there; he could see that in her eyes. Her climax was beautiful, he groaned as her walls tightened around him. After that she collapsed and panted until he reached his own release. Leaning down, avoiding putting all his weight on her, he leaned his head on her shoulder. Her skin was just as sweaty as his and they both tried to catch their breath. They stayed like that for a while before he slowly pulled out of her. She blinked rapidly as he looked down on her.

"Are you alright?" he asked and gently touched her cheek.

She nodded.

"Yes."

"Good."

He gave her a soft kiss and rolled on his back beside her. She hesitated for a moment before moving closer, clearly wanting to be held. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. She fit there perfectly. For a brief moment the guilt was trying to take over, but he didn't allow that. This woman was his wife now and he was determined to be a good husband.


End file.
